Key research themes
1. How are advanced modulation formats and signal processing techniques enhancing spectral efficiency and data rates in coherent optical fiber communications?
This theme explores the development and application of sophisticated modulation schemes—such as quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), phase-shift keying (PSK), differential phase shift keying (DPSK), and multi-level modulation—in combination with digital signal processing (DSP) to improve spectral efficiency, data throughput, and robustness against fiber nonlinearities and noise in coherent optical communication systems. It addresses the critical need to meet exponentially increasing bandwidth demands by pushing system capacity closer to theoretical limits using coherent detection.
2. What strategies mitigate physical impairments and enhance signal quality in optical fiber communication systems?
This research theme focuses on improving the reliability and reach of optical fiber systems by addressing impairments such as loss, dispersion, nonlinearities, and noise through optical amplification techniques (e.g., Raman and erbium-doped fiber amplifiers), dispersion compensation, nonlinear mitigation, and advanced equalization methods. It is central to enabling higher data rates and longer transmission distances without sacrificing signal integrity.
3. How can optical fiber communications integrate with and enhance emerging applications requiring ultra-high bandwidth and low latency connectivity?
This theme examines the role of optical fiber communication technologies—especially advanced hardware like 800G active optical cables (AOC), architectural advancements in optical networking, and fiber-radio integration with wireless systems—in enabling real-time, high-capacity, and low-latency data transfer critical for modern applications such as data centers, healthcare data exchange, avionics, and next-generation network infrastructures. It highlights the translation of optical advancements into practical deployments for various scenarios.