Telecommunications, Optics & Photonics Conference 2025 25-26 February 2025, London, UK
Conference Programme
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Welcome
Contents
On behalf of the TOP 2024 co-chairs and our eight-strong technical programme committee, I’d like to welcome all delegates to the third Telecommunications, Optics and Photonics Conference (TOP 2024) to be held in The City of London, Feb 21-22, 2024. In organising the TOP Conference our aim is to continue to bring together our local telecommunications, optics, and photonics community in a compact, face-to-face meeting held in our fantastic global city, to exchange news and ideas in the traditional way, enabling plentiful in-person networking, while hearing about some of the latest, exciting advances in our field. We were delighted with the response to our first two events in 2022/23, and we’re really looking forward to a great kick-off event to 2024 in the UK for our TOP community, following a highly successful ECOC 2023 last October in Glasgow. We are delighted with the shape of the TOP 2024 technical programme which ranges from well-established topic areas in telecommunications, photonics components, data centres and radio access networks, to new frontiers in free-space optics and quantum communications. We encourage you to check out the TOP programme to view the range of plenary, invited, contributed and poster presentations, which include an inspiring mix of industry and academic speakers, from the UK, Europe, Asia, and the USA. Please note, while the mornings are single-session with two 45-minute plenary talks, followed by our now-traditional, interactive, workshop-style panel sessions, the afternoons comprise two parallel technical sessions, reflecting the strong growth of our forum this year. Presentations will be recorded, so that delegates can view the alternate technical session at their leisure after the meeting . We’re thrilled to kick off each day of the conference with two highly topical plenary presentations: on Day 1, from Dr Harald Bock of Infinera, Germany and Dr Ben Puttnam of NICT, Japan, and on Day 2, from Prof Graham Reed of Southampton University and Prof Dominic O’Brien of Oxford University . On Day 1, the panel session will be led by a team from the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN) with the latest on their activities, focus areas, an update on the work of the expert panel in optical communications, and opportunity to comment and feed into their work. On Day 2, the expert panel session will be led by Dr Jose Pozo, CTO of Optica, who will focus the discussion on future opportunities for photonic integration in the UK, asking the question “Could the UK stand up an industrial-scale semiconductor fab for future optical and quantum networks?”. In between sessions, apart from great-quality refreshments and personal networking, there will be opportunities to view the poster presentations, previews of which are available online, and to visit our expanded table-top exhibition, details also available online.
General Information
4
Timetable
6 - 7
Abstracts
8 - 13
Poster Session Abstracts
14 - 17
Speaker Biographies
18 - 23
Exhibitors
24 - 25
Sponsors and Partners
26
We look forward to offering you a warm welcome to London for what we anticipate will be a great start to 2024. See you there.
Wladek (on behalf of the TOP TPC 2025)
James Regan, Oriole Networks
Fotini Karinou, Microsoft Research
Wladek Forysiak Bristol University
Andrew Lord BT
TOP Conference 2024 is organised by Nexus Media Events Ltd Suite 3, Building 30, Churchill Square, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4YU United Kingdom t: +44 (0) 1732 752 125
3
GENERAL INFORMATION
Admission Only TOP Conference 2025 delegates in possession of the official delegate badge will be admitted into the conference. Conference Opening Times Tuesday 25th 08:30-18:30 Wednesday 26th 08:30-17:00
Copyright Protection As organisers we take a very strong view on Copyright infringement; any person reported infringing these rights will be immediately ejected from the conference. If a successful prosecution is brought by the affected company, a further ban would be imposed on the prosecuted person from attending future TOP Conference events. Children No person under the age of 18 years can be admitted to the conference. This rule also applies to the delegates children. The organisers have a right to enforce it to comply with the safety regulations of the conference.
Cloakroom opening times Tuesday 25th February - 0830 - 0930 / 1715 - 1830
FREE
Network: tbc Password: tbc
Wednesday 26th February 0830 - 0930 / 1645 - 1715
Please note the cloakroom will only be manned during these times and items are left at your own risk.
WIFI
There will be free WiFi access available in the conference. Please note this will only be suitable for browsing the internet and is not suitable for downloading or streaming Most mobile devices and laptops will be able to access the free WiFi service but we cannot guarantee access as it is dependent on the software that is installed on your portable device.
Photography and videotaping Photography and videotaping is prohibited within the conference. Smoking & Drugs Smoking and drug taking are strictly prohibited inside the venue premises AT ALL TIMES.
Breakfast, Lunch and Refreshments On arrival delegates can enjoy a welcome breakfast (served from 0830). Tea, coffee, infused water and fruit will be served during the refreshment breaks
Lunch will be served both days with a selection of meat and plant- based options. The full menu is availble to view on our website. If you have not previously notifed us of any food allergies please speak to a member of the team at registration.
Poster Sessions
Poster presenters will display their posters in the poster hall during the conference and will be available in-person to answer questions and discuss their research during designated presentation times. Delegates can also watch poster preview videos for each poster, by
using a mobile phone to scan the QR code associated with each poster. There will be an award for the Best Poster, the winner will be announced during the drinks reception on Tuesday 25th February.
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Thank you to our Official Sponsors & Partners Poster Sessions Sponsor
Media and Analyst Partners:
In partnership with:
Supported by:
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Meet the TOP Technical Programme Committee
Wladek is a Professor and Deputy Director of AIPT at Aston University. He holds a PhD in laser physics and has a research background in nonlinear photonics and high speed optical fibre communication systems. He was a co-founder of Marconi Solstis in 2000, and spent 15 years in WDM system related product development with
James Regan, CEO Oriole Networks James is a physicist with more than 30 years’ experience leading businesses in the optical communications industry and creating companies out of university research. As CEO and co-founder of recent spin-out Oriole Networks he leads
Marconi, Ericsson, and Oclaro. A Royal Society Industry Fellow from 2012-16, he was awarded a 5-year EPSRC Manufacturing Fellowship at Aston University in 2015, and is presently the EFFECT Photonics / Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Highly Integrated Coherent optical fibre Communications. His current research interests are in wideband optical fibre communication systems, optical devices and subsystems, and the impact and mitigation of device and fibre nonlinearities.
one of the UK’s few system-level optical networking companies. He previously created and led spin-outs EFFECT Photonics and Venture Photonics and built successful businesses within Agility communications and Nortel Networks. He has led businesses in highspeed transmission, photonic integration, optical amplification, photonic switching and optical components and modules.
Fotini Karinou is a Principal Researcher at Microsoft, where she focuses on developing innovative optical technologies for next-generation cloud computing systems and networks. Prior to her role at Microsoft, she served as a Senior R&D Engineer at Huawei Technologies Ltd in the Optical & Quantum Laboratory
Andrew joined BT in 1985 after a BA in Physics from Oxford University. He has helped design a wide range of optical network systems and technologies, including long haul subsea and terrestrial DWDM networks. He has been responsible for optical fibre and systems specifications. He currently leads BT’s optical research
at the German Research Centre in Munich. There, her work centered on optical transmission systems and networks, encompassing high-capacity optical interconnects for datacom, metro/access networks, long-haul coherent systems, and quantum communications. She earned the Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2007 and the PhD in optical communications with a focus on spectrally efficient WDM optical interconnect networks with advanced modulation formats in 2012, from the University of Patras, Greece.
including optical access, high speed transmission and quantum communications. He has recently initiated BT’s quantum research, with applications in areas such as secure communications, timing and sensing. He regularly speaks at conferences, sits on several organising committees, including ECOC and was Technical Program Chair for OFC 2015 and General Chair for OFC 2017. He was TPC co-chair of ECOC 2023. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, He is Visiting Professor at Essex University, Fellow of the IEEE and a BT Distinguished Engineer.
Mingming (Tommy) Tan is a Research Fellow at Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AiPT), Aston University. In his research, he focuses on optical communications, Raman amplification, and Raman
Lidia Galdino is a System Engineering & Innovation Manager at Corning, responsible for defining and driving long-haul terrestrial and submarine optical fiber and cable product strategy. Prior Corning, Lidia was an
Donald Govan is Photonics Coherent Architect at Mbryonics working on coherent transceivers for free space optical links. He received a B.Sc.(Hons.) degree in laser physics and optoelectronics from the
fibre laser. He has published 111 papers in leading journals and international conferences. He is currently managing three research projects funded by the Royal Society (as PI) and EPSRC (as Researcher-Co-I) by collaborating with leading researchers in the UK, US, Japan, and China.
assistant professor at University College London, leading the research in high-capacity optical fiber transmission system. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Lightwave Technology and has authored > 100 peer-reviewed papers on optical fiber communication systems.
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K., in 1995, and a Ph.D. from the Photonics Research Group at Aston University, Birmingham, U.K., in 1999. Following his PhD he has worked across industry and academia including spells with Marconi, University of Nottingham, University of Swansea, Oclaro and Lumentum.
Swe Zin Oo is a design engineer and technical lead in the chip R&D department at Lumentum, where she focuses on developing advanced III-V based modulators for high-speed data
Dr. Aleksandra Kaszubowska-Anandarajah is an Assistant Professor in the department of
Maksym (Max) is CEO and co-founder of Aegiq, a photonic quantum computing and
Electronic and Electrical Engineering, TCD, and a co-director of the Photonics Systems and Sensing Laboratory in DCU. She has over 20 years of R&D experience gained in academic and industrial environments. Dr. Kaszubowska focuses on developing solutions for future optical and integrated optical-wireless communications networks. Her diverse expertise spans multiple domains (wireless, optical, hardware), network layers (physical, control, and network) and telecommunication systems (5G, 6G and converged access networks). Her research has led to the publication of over 100 articles in high impact peer-reviewed publications. These include articles in Nature Communications, Science Advances, IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials as well as several invited conferences presentations. She is also a senior member of IEEE.
communications start-up, which recently received Institute of Physics Business Start-up Award and listed as a WIRED Trailblazer. Having started as a quantum physicist he is a serial entrepreneur in deep tech with experience across different sectors including aerospace, hi-end manufacturing and with main focus on product development based on quantum photonic technology. Max holds a PhD in Physics from University of Sheffield and a BSc in Economics and Finance from LSE. In his academic career he published in Nature Photonics, Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, other high-profile journals as well as delivered a number of invited talks and received several awards for his research in quantum and non-linear optics of semiconductors. Max is also a co-author of a number of patents and patents pending.
transmission. With expertise in high-capacity optical technologies, Swe plays a crucial role in driving innovation in the field. Before joining Lumentum, she served as a senior research fellow at the University of Southampton, specializing in silicon photonics and pioneering low-loss optical interconnects and multilayer integration platforms.
Dr Qiushuo Sun is a Research Manager in Quantum Optics in BT
Research. She received her Ph.D. degree in Electronic Engineering in 2019 from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She then worked as a
research fellow at the National quantum hub for sensors and timing in the University of Birmingham for 3 years before she joined BT. She is specialised in optics, quantum and telecommunication technologies.
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Timetable - Tuesday 25th February
08:30 09:30 REGISTRATION AND COFFEE
Title
Speaker
Start
Finish
09:30 10:15
The future of optical communications is massively parallel - and non-quantum The Optical Network: A Foundation for the Intelligent Immersive Future
Peter Winzer (Nubis Communications)
10:15 11:00
David Neilson (Nokia Bell Labs)
11:00 11:30 COFFEE BREAK AND POSTER SESSIONS
11:30 13:00 Panel session : Impacts of AI/ML on future telecoms and data centre networks
Moderator: Jose Pozo (Optica) Bodhisattwa Gangopadhyay (Meta)
Julia Watson (Omdia) Pedro Freire (OFCOM), Michael Hochberg (Cambridge University of Geopolitics),
13:00
POSTER SESSIONS AND EXHIBITION TIME
14:00 LUNCH
STREAM 2: Data Centres Start Finish Title
STREAM 1: Telecommunications Start Finish Title
Speaker
Speaker
14:00 14:30
Re-engineering coherent DSP for lower power applications ADOPTION Project – Advancing Data Centre and AI Cluster Interconnects with Co-Packaged Optics for High-Efficiency Cloud Computing. Challenges and Opportunities in Scaling AI with Silicon Photonics
Domaniç Lavery (Infinera)
14:00 14:30
Numerical simulations and experimental assessments of ultra- wideband optical fibre communication systems Extending the Capacity of Spatial Division Multiplexing Systems Challenges in scaling a global network infrastructure
Robert Killey (University
College London)
14:30 15:00
Cleitus Antony (Tyndall Institute)
14:30 15:00
Ruben Luis (NICT)
15:00 15:30
Ligia Zorello (Meta)
15:00 15:30
Filippo Ferraro (IMEC)
15:30 16:00 COFFEE BREAK / POSTER SESSIONS & EXHIBITION TIME
STREAM 3: Photonics for RAN Start Finish Title
STREAM 4: Free Space Optics Start Finish Title
Speaker
Speaker
16:00 16:30
16:00 16:30
Integrated radio over fiber systems
Antonella Bogoni (Sant’Anna
MWIR and LWIR FSO Communications with Unipolar Quantum Optoelectronics Satellite-based Quantum Communications Mode-division multiplexing free-space optical communications: capacity and turbulence resiliency
Xiaodan Pang (ZJU/RTU)
School of Advanced Studies – CNIT) Laurenz Kulmer (ETH Zurich)
16:30 17:00
Jasminder Sidhu (University of Strathclyde Yiming Li (Aston University)
16:30 17:00
Can Plasmonics have a role in Future Radio Access Networks?
17:00 17:30
17:00 17:30
Reimagining High-Speed Interconnects: 100Gb/s Analog CDR Technology for Data Centers and 6G Fronthaul
Raza Khan (Semtech)
17:30 18:30 DRINKS RECEPTION
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Timetable - Wednesday 26th February
08:30 09:00 REGISTRATION AND COFFEE
Title
Speaker
Start
Finish
09:00 09:45
Plenary
Gerald Buller (Heriot-Watt University)
09:45 10:30
Plenary
Francesco Poletti (University of Southampton)
10:30 11:00 COFFEE BREAK AND POSTER SESSIONS
11:00 12:30 Panel Session: UKRI Future Telecoms Research Hubs: recent progress, highlights and future vision
Moderator: Andrew Lord (BT) Harald Haas (University of Cambridge) Dominic O’Brien (Oxford University) Dimitra Simeonidou (Bristol University) Syed Zaidi (Leeds University)
12:30 13:30 LUNCH / POSTER SESSIONS AND EXHIBITION TIME STREAM 5: Photonic Components Start Finish Title Speaker 13:30 14:00 Modulator and Receiver PICs for High Data Rate Optical Networks Daniel Jalo (Lumentum) 14:00 14:30 Silicon optical
STREAM 6: Telecommunications Start Finish Title
Speaker
13:30 14:00
Scalable Optical Access Architectures in 6G Front- Haul Advanced Characterization of Optical Modulators and Coherent Receivers for Multi- Band Transmission Systems Beyond C- and L-Band End-to-End Learning based Probabilistic Constellation Shaping in High-Capacity Optical Fibre Communication Systems
Alexandros Stavdas (OpenLight Comms) Robert Emmerich (HHI)
14:00 14:30
David Thomson (University of Southampton)
modulators for high speed and low power data communication Enhancing Photonic Integrated Circuits: Advanced Testing and Automation Strategies
14:30 15:00
Tianhua Xu (University of Warwick)
14:30 15:00
Sophie Lange (EXFO)
15:00 15:30 COFFEE BREAK / POSTER SESSIONS & EXHIBITION TIME + POSTER WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
STREAM 7: Photonic Components Start Finish Title
STREAM 8: Quantum Communications Start Finish Title Speaker 15:30 16:00 AlGaAsSb-based Single Photon Avalanche Photodiodes for 1550 nm wavelength photons Jo Shien Ng (University of Sheffield) 16:00 16:30
Speaker
15:30 16:00
TILBA-ATMO: Enhancing leo-to-ground downlinks with 45-mode turbulence mitigation CMOS-compatible process for fabricating high speed moduators in BTO Metallic Interconnects for Co-Packaged Photonic Integrated Circuits Industry Proven Photonic Integration Using Photonic Wire Bonds & Facet Attached Micro-Lenses 3D Printed Optical Interconnects via 2-Photon Grayscale Lithography for Enhanced Vertical Coupling
Jean Menguy (Cailabs)
Continuous-Variable QKD for Flexible and Efficient Quantum Secure Optical Communications Quantum Networks: from Quantum Key Distribution to Entanglement Distribution
Michela Svaluto Moreolo (CTTC)
16:00 16:15
Steven Tan (Rapid Photonics BB)
16:15 16:30
Andrew Meek (Senko)
16:30 17:00
Rui Wang (Bristol University)
16:30 16:45
Dr Laura Horan, (Vanguard)
16:45 17:00
Jörg Smolenski, (Nanoscribe GmbH & Co. KG)
17:00
CLOSE
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Abstracts
Keynotes The future of optical communications is massively parallel – and non-quantum Peter Winzer (Nubis Communications) Over the past decade, high-speed communications
STREAM 1: Telecommunications Tuesday 14:00 -16:00
Session Chair: Mingming Tan, Research Fellow, Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies, Aston University
technologies have reached severe scalability limits, from short-reach electrical chip-to-chip interconnects to ultra-long-haul subsea optical fiber cables. While these scalability limits have different origins ranging from saturating high-speed
Numerical simulations and experimental assessments of ultra-wideband optical fibre communication systems Robert Killey, University College London
electronic bit rates, to systems approaching fiber Shannon capacities, to energy density/distribution limits, there seems to be only a single long-term viable solution that is common to economically overcome all these limits: massively integrated spatial parallelism using advanced (and inherently classical) electrical and optical communications. In reviewing the communications systems solution space, we will also discuss why currently over-hyped quantum technologies are not part of practical communications applications, neither for capacity nor for security. The Optical Network: A Foundation for the Intelligent Immersive Future David Neilson, Nokia Bell Labs
Extending the Capacity of Spatial Division Multiplexing Systems Ruben Luis, NICT
The promise of immersive reality, fueled by artificial intelligence and the proliferation of connected devices and machines, is driving a fundamental shift in network requirements. This keynote will explore how optical networks, the backbone of our digital infrastructure, are evolving to meet these
We will review recent advancements in ultra- high capacity systems using spatial division multiplexing beyond petabit per second data rates and estimate the foreseeable limits of these systems.
demands. We’ll delve into the transformative potential of technologies like Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) and Hollow Core Fiber (HCF) for boosting capacity and reducing latency. We’ll also discuss how network disaggregation, virtualization, and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) are reengineering the optical layer for a more dynamic and intelligent future, paving the way for a truly immersive and connected world.
Challenges in scaling a global network infrastructure Ligia Zorello, Meta
PANEL SESSION Tuesday 11:30 - 13:00
Impacts of AI/ML on future telecoms and data centre networks AI computing platforms are driving multiple new developments in telecoms systems, transceivers and photonic components to meet strongly increasing traffic demands, improve inter-connection architectures, and arrest environmentally damaging increases in data centre power requirements. Meantime, ML offers potentially transformational innovations in photonic systems design and engineering, network operations, monitoring and control. In this workshop, we will explore how the predicted massive growth in AI workloads and huge investments in AI compute power will impact on telecoms transmission systems and their underlying photonic components and sub-systems.
(Meta)
Moderator: Jose Pozo (Optica)
Pedro Freira (Ofcom)
Julian Watson (Omdia)
Michael Hochberg (Cambridge University Centre for Geopolitics)
Bodhisattwa Gangopadhyay
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Abstracts
STREAM 2: Data Centres Tuesday 14:00 -16:00
STREAM 3: Photonics for RAN Tuesday 16:00 -17:30
Session Chair: Lidia Galdino, System Engineering & Innovation Manager, Corning
Session Chair: Aleksandra Kaszubowska- Anandarajah, Assistant Professor in the department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, TCD, Trinity Dublin
Re-engineering coherent DSP for lower power applications Domaniç Lavery, Infinera
Integrated radio over fiber systems
Antonella Bogoni, SSS Anna Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) technology emerges as a promising solution not only to meet the increasing demand for reliable and high-speed connectivity but also to address the challenges across a variety of sensing applications. Optical fiber, with its low loss, minimal distortions
Digital coherent receivers have, for many years, been used in high capacity, long haul optical fibre transmission systems. Recent standardisation of coherent transceivers for short reach systems – such as inter-datacentre networks – has forced a rethink of digital signal processing (DSP) design
high bandwidth characteristics, easy deployment and immunity to electromagnetic interference, ensures reliable and constant connectivity, even in harsh environments or densely populated urban areas. Moreover, beyond photonics-based RF distribution, research in RoF systems is actively pursuing additional features such as photonic up/down conversion and signal beamforming, which are driving ongoing advancements. The talk explores the pivotal role of photonic integrated technologies for future Radio-over-Fiber systems, covering its operational principles, the evolution, and the open issues. The core discussion focuses on the advancement towards photonic integration, highlighting recent innovations in hybrid and heterogeneous integration. Can Plasmonics have a role in Future Radio Access Networks? Laurenz Kulmer, ETH Zurich With wireless systems moving to higher frequencies,
due to ASIC area and power constraints. This talk will discuss some of the innovations and sacrifices required when designing DSP for short reach systems.
ADOPTION Project – Advancing Data Centre and AI Cluster Interconnects with Co-Packaged Optics for High-Efficiency Cloud Computing Cleitus Antony, Tyndall Institute
The ADOPTION project is a European Union- funded initiative under the Horizon Europe framework, focusing on developing scalable, high-performance interconnect solutions for hyperscale data centres and AI-driven infrastructures. This talk will present an overview
of the project’s approach to system integration, highlighting photonic innovations that achieve ultra-low latency, high throughput, and energy-efficient communication. Key project milestones, particularly in photonic integration and demonstrator developments, will showcase how ADOPTION is set to meet future connectivity needs and enable next-generation data centre architectures
optical solutions are being integrated closer to the base station antenna. If those trends persist, plasmonic components, which offer an abundance of bandwidth, could become a viable solution for these systems. In this talk we will cover how future remote
antenna units can profit from plasmonic components.
Challenges and Opportunities in Scaling AI with Silicon Photonics Filippo Ferraro, IMEC
Reimagining High-Speed Interconnects: 100Gb/s Analog CDR Technology for Data Centers and 6G Fronthaul Raza Khan, Semtech
As data center and wireless communication technologies advance, the role of analog Clock and Data Recovery (CDR) systems is evolving to meet new challenges. While the transition to 50Gb/s PAM4 signaling initially shifted the industry toward DSP-based solutions to address
signal integrity challenges, analog retimer technology continues to offer a viable and advantageous path forward for 100Gb/s per lane interconnects and beyond. This approach provides significant benefits, including lower power consumption than traditional DSPs and ultra- low latency. This is particularly crucial in wireless architectures, especially emerging 6G fronthaul systems, where latency variation is increasingly critical with each generation. Traditional DSPs are becoming unsuitable for these advanced architectures. By adapting analog expertise from NRZ modulation to PAM4, a new generation of optical pluggables can be developed that operate at 100Gb/s PAM4 while maintaining low power consumption, ultra-low latency, and cost-effectiveness. Semtech is pioneering these innovative platforms, creating value for customers by enabling new architectural possibilities through the combination of analog latency performance and low power consumption. This approach demonstrates that analog technology has a scalable path to 100G and beyond, offering a compelling alternative to DSP-based solutions for both data center interconnects and wireless communication systems.
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Abstracts
STREAM 4: Free Space Optics Tuesday 16:00 -17:30
Satellite-based Quantum Communications
Jasminder Sidhu, The University of Strathclyde
Session Chair: Donald Govan, Photonics Coherent Architect, Mbryonics
Space provides long lines of sight and low losses of free-space optical transmission. For quantum technologies, these properties provide an ideal platform to expand the range of quantum networks and distributed quantum technologies.
Space quantum technologies is therefore a topic of increasing importance to develop long-range secure communications, enhanced sensing and imaging, and networked quantum computing. However, using satellites for networked quantum information protocols is beset with challenges. Namely, the quantum channel between a satellite and an optical ground station can only be established and maintained for a limited time window and has a highly dynamic loss due to atmospheric turbulence and attenuation. In this talk, I will provide an overview of recent advances that address these challenges for satellite- based quantum key distribution and model real-world engineering constraints for upcoming satellite missions. I will also summarise recent proposals for how satellite-based networks can support near-term distributed quantum technologies. Mode-division multiplexing free-space optical communications: capacity and turbulence resiliency Yiming Li, Aston Univiersity Free-space optical communications can provide have been considered in FSO systems, including polarisation multiplexing, dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM), and mode-division multiplexing (MDM). In MDM systems, adaptive optics (AO) has been the major approach to combat turbulence. However, a single AO can not fully compensate for strong turbulence, where both phase and amplitude distortion exist, and a considerable amount of power may fall outside the receive aperture. Therefore, previous MDM transmissions mainly focused on weak turbulence, and severe performance degradation has been observed in strong turbulence. In this talk, we demonstrated a digital signal processing (DSP)-based approach to simultaneously increase transmit data rate and enhance turbulence resiliency in strong turbulent channels. ultra-fast data rate, ultra-long link distance, robustness to electromagnetic interference, and is a promising technology for high-speed wireless transmissions. To further increase the link capacity, different multiplexing technologies
MWIR and LWIR FSO Communications with Unipolar Quantum Optoelectronics
Xiaodan Pang, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China and Riga Technical University, Riga, Latvia
Free-space optical (FSO) communication is expected to play a key role in future ICT infrastructure, particularly in non-terrestrial networks. A crucial factor in selecting technological
solutions is the ability to achieve high-speed, robust transmission over long distances through atmospheric channels, which depends on wavelength choice. The mid-wave IR (MWIR, 3-5 µm) and long-wave IR (LWIR, 8-12 µm) within the mid-IR regime are promising options [1]. Semiconductor sources, modulators, and detectors enabling high- bandwidth and efficient signal transmission are also critical. Unipolar quantum optoelectronics (UQOs), such as quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), modulators, and detectors, have shown potential for building FSO systems [2]. This talk presents our experimental results with UQOs and discusses the challenges of advancing these technologies [3-9]. We also review recent global R&D efforts in this promising area. Acknowledgement This work was supported in part by the LZP FLPP project ‘MIR-FAST’ lzp 2023-1-0503, and in part by the strategic innovation program Smarter Electronic Systems a joint venture by Vinnova, Formas and the Swedish Energy Agency A FRONTAHUL project (2023-00659) References [1] A. Delga et al., “Free-space optical communications with quantum cascade lasers,” in Quantum Sensing and Nano Electronics and Photonics XVI, 2019, vol. 10926, p. 1092617. [2] H. Dely et al., “10 Gbit s−1 Free Space Data Transmission at 9 µm Wavelength With Unipolar Quantum Optoelectronics,” Laser Photonics Rev., vol. 16, no. 2, 2021. [3] X. Pang et al., “Free-Space Communications Enabled by Quantum Cascade Lasers,” pssa, vol. 218, no. 3, p. 2000407, 2021. [4] X. Pang et al., “Direct Modulation and Free-Space Transmissions of up to 6 Gbps Multilevel Signals With a 4.65-µm Quantum Cascade Laser at Room Temperature,” J. Lightw. Technol., vol. 40, no. 8, pp. 2370-2377, 2022. [5] X. Pang et al., “11 Gb/s LWIR FSO Transmission at 9.6 µm using a Directly-Modulated Quantum Cascade Laser and an Uncooled Quantum Cascade Detector,” OFC 2022, p. Th4B.5. [6] M. Joharifar et al., “8.1 Gbps PAM8 Long-Wave IR FSO Transmission using a 9.15-µm Directly-Modulated QCL with an MCT Detector,” OFC 2023, p. Th1H.1. [7] M. Han et al., “Long-Wave Infrared Discrete Multitone Free-Space Transmission Using a 9.15-μm Quantum Cascade Laser,” IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 35, no. 9, pp. 489-492, 2023. [8] M. Joharifar et al., “16.9 Gb/s Single-Channel LWIR FSO Data Transmission with Directly Modulated QCL and MCT Detector,” OFC 2024, p. Th2A.25. [9] X. Pang et al., “Free Space Communication Enabled by Directly Modulated Quantum Cascade Laser,” OFC 2024, p. Th3C.1.
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Abstracts
STREAM 5: Photonic Components Wednesday 13:30 -15:30
Keynotes Title tbc
Session Chair: SweZin Oo, Design Engineer & Technical Lead, Chip R&D department, Lumentum
Gerald Buller (Heriot-Watt University)
Modulator and Receiver PICs for High Data Rate Optical Networks Daniel Jalo, Lumentum
Title tbc
Francesco Poletti (University of Southampton)
The increasingly higher data rate demands in today’s optical communication networks, such as 260Gbd coherent and 400Gb/s PAM4 systems, drive the need for high bandwidth modulators and receiver photonic integrated chips (PICs), with complex on-chip functionality. The InP material
system offers an extensive and versatile design space that enables the manufacturing of both low Vπ Mach-Zehnder modulators and high responsivity photodiodes capable of reaching 3dB bandwidths in excess of 100GHz. Furthermore, it supports the monolithic integration of diverse photonic components, including, among others, high-gain semiconductor optical amplifiers for signal boosting, spot size converters for low-loss fibre-to-waveguide coupling, low phase error 3/6dB splitters, and variable optical attenuators in conjunction with monitor photodiodes for dynamic real-time signal monitoring and control. Through careful device design and process optimisation these devices can be manufactured with consistently high performance and robust reliability, meeting the stringent requirements of modern optical networks.
PANEL SESSION Wednesday 11:00 - 12:30 UKRI Future Telecoms Research Hubs: recent progress, highlights and future vision UKRI hubs are major national investments which provide significant funding to world-leading UK university research groups and their partners to address research challenges and shape technological developments in critical technologies, including future telecommunications. In early 2024, UKRI and DSIT announced an additional funding boost of £70M to help drive the UK’s efforts to bring forward the next wave of future telecoms technology, including to four major projects led by the universities of Bristol, Cambridge, and Oxford and at Imperial College, London.
Silicon optical modulators for high speed and low power data communication
David Thomson, Silicon Photonics Group, Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton Our recent progress on silicon optical modulators will be presented, focussing on our work on capacitive modulators where it is shown that strong absorption modulation produced as a side product
of phase modulation can enhance intensity modulation in resonant structures. Our work on the integration of silicon optical modulators and CMOS electronics will also be highlighted showing that by following a co-design approach, the performance of the integrated transmitter can be fully optimised allowing breakthroughs in data throughput and power consumption. Enhancing Photonic Integrated Circuits: Advanced Testing and Automation Strategies Sophie Lange, PhD, Business Development Engineer, EXFO integrated circuits (PIC). Manufacturers and researchers must test growing wafer volumes swiftly without compromising quality. Ensuring accuracy, reliability, traceability, and speed when testing various photonic components requires flexibility, scalability, and a high level of automation and optical performance. As a Test & Measurement solutions provider in the PIC ecosystem, EXFO will present strategies to achieve these goals. These include fully automating motion systems, instrument drivers, and databases from a single interface, as well as creating a reusable and connected test environment from wafer to module. Efficient testing of all components at the wafer level, whether surface- or edge-coupled, is crucial for production environments. Finally, leveraging AI and machine learning will further reduce test time and costs significantly. AI is set to revolutionize the development and mass production of integrated photonic components. The industry now faces the challenge of efficiently testing, assembling, and packaging increasingly complex photonic
Moderator: Adnrew Lord (BT)
Harald Haas (Cambridge University)
Dominic O'Brien (Oxford University)
Syed Zaidi (Imperial College London)
Dimitra Simeonidou (Bristol University
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Abstracts
STREAM 6: Telecommunications Wednesday 13:30 -15:00
STREAM 7: Photonic Components Wednesday 15:30 -17:00
Session Chair: Mingming Tan, Research Fellow, Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies, Aston University
Session Chair: SweZin Oo, Design Engineer & Technical Lead, Chip R&D department, Lumentum
Scalable Optical Access Architectures in 6G Front-Haul Alexandros Stavdas OpenLight Comm Ltd The role of fiber optic connectivity in access is
TILBA-ATMO: Enhancing Leo-To-Ground Downloads with 45-mode Turbulence Mitigation Jean Menguy, Cailabs
indispensable to support the emerging 6G applications and services. This assertion is supported by a number of techno-economic factors, such as the fact that there are multiple 6G functional splits available with dissimilar transportation line-rate and processing trade-offs, while
The rapid proliferation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks and the subsequent requirement for higher debit rates necessitates the development of efficient high-throughput communication technologies. This can be achieved using free-space optical (FSO)
the higher the RF bandwidths in FR2 deployments, the shorter the distance between small cells. In a landscape where the connectivity technologies are converging, there are many interdependent issues that must be resolved via co-design, ranging from the eventual small-cell densification to the possibility of fiber exhaustion in the trunk and distribution segments. In this work, we present scalable optical access architectures, and we assess how these can accommodate different 6G functional splits. Moreover, we present the results of a network dimensioning studies, and we quantify how these architectures address the challenges associated with 6G small cell deployments. Co-authored by: Alexandros Stavdas, Evangelos Kosmatos, Christos Matrakidis, and Ian Cooper; OpenLightComm Ltd. Advanced Characterization of Optical Modulators and Coherent Receivers for Multi-Band Transmission Systems Beyond C- and L-Band Robert Emmerich, HHI We present a comprehensive review of the components for prototype development aimed at efficient and sustainable capacity enhancement of already deployed single-mode fibre links. Our analysis includes measurements of individual components while focusing on their key performance indicators as a function of wavelength. Key findings of this investigation at the transmitter end include the identification of LiNbO3 and TFLN modulators as promising candidates for these systems, while InP modulators suffer from strong and undesirable wavelength dependencies. On the receiver side, discrete coherent receivers based on free-space technologies enable operation over a range of 200 nm, from E- to U-band. With additional components such as lasers, filters, wavelength-selective switches, and amplifiers now readily accessible, this will further drive research into multi-band systems. performance of currently available optical dual- polarization I/Q modulators and dual-polarization coherent receivers for multi-band transmission systems. Our evaluation covers various implementations of these technologies, facilitating the selection of
communication, allowing up to 100s Gbps. FSO downlinks are limited by atmospheric turbulences which strongly deteriorate debit rates, forbidding the use of fast detectors, fiber components and modulation schemes such as EDFAs and coherent modulation/ detection. Turbulence mitigation is therefore compulsory to enable high throughput in LEO-to-ground FSO applications. Cailabs’s approach focuses on the use of its core technology: Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC). MPLC allows for demultiplexing of any incoming turbulent beam into a set of single-mode fibers (SMF) followed by an active optical recombining stage. By dynamically adjusting phase shifters of the recombining stage, one can ensure that a constructive interference is generated, thus merging the demultiplexed turbulent beam into a single SMF. Earlier results demonstrated the use of an 8-mode version of TILBA-ATMO for low turbulence (D/r0 < 7) and its compatibility with high data rates modulation schemes (up to 100 Gbps DP-QPSK). Optical Ground Stations (OGS) will be equipped with large telescopes (D> 40 cm) and therefore require mitigation of stronger turbulences (D/r0 >10), which leads to the need of higher spatial modes for collection and recombining. Here we demonstrate the use of a TILBA-ATMO system, based on a 45 Hermite-Gaussian (HG) modes MPLC, for turbulence mitigation in more realistic conditions with D/ r0 > 10 and high turbulence speeds. Experimental results of the system will be showcased for different turbulence conditions and performed in a variety of environments, from lab tests to outdoor tests.
CMOS-compatible process for fabricating high speed moduators in BTO Steven Tan, Rapid Photonics BB
Rapid Photonics is a startup company based in Amsterdam the Netherlands. It’s our mission to bring thin film Barium titanate (BTO) as a next-generation material for ultra-high-speed modulators in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) to the telecom and datacom market.
End-to-End Learning based Probabilistic Constellation Shaping in High-Capacity Optical Fibre Communication Systems Tianhua Xu, University of Warwick
BTO PIC modulators have been demonstrated with remarkable performance in terms of speed and energy efficiency. However, such BTO PIC modulators have not been used in optical transceivers due to lack of scalability of production. We have developed a BTO PIC technology that is scalable and highly suited for volume production. Our patented technology is 100% silicon compatible and delivers a high yield. We have inhouse capacity to fabricate prototype PICs with a lead-time of 4 weeks and at affordable cost. Volume production can be delivered by any CMOS fab. We are currently developing reference designs for a 100GHz modulator and ultra-narrow linewidth tunable laser with fast tuning speed.
The end-to-end learning approach has shown strong potential in achieving robust constellation shaping for optical fibre communication systems. However, current end-to-end probabilistic constellation shaping (PCS) methods, which utilise binary cross-entropy combined with source entropy to estimate generalised mutual
information (GMI) as the loss function, fall short in fully realising the shaping gain. This limitation arises because, in PCS, both binary cross-entropy and source entropy are influenced by shifts in the probability distribution of square QAM constellation points, leading to a learned distribution that remains close to uniform. In response, this work introduces a novel end-to-end based PCS approach that incorporates a modified loss function, which includes an adaptive weight factor to adjust the impact of binary cross-entropy and source entropy on GMI dynamically. The GMI optimised with the proposed PCS aligns closely with the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for AWGN channels, for high-capacity optical fibre communication systems.
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Abstracts
STREAM 8: Quantum Communications Wednesday 15:30 -17:00 Session Chair: Maksym Sich, CEO & Co- founder, Aegiq
Metallic Interconnects for Co-Packaged Photonic Integrated Circuits Andrew Meek, Senko
Fiber and wireless optic communications have played significant roles in increasing the data capacity of modern transmission systems. Laser and channel nonlinear distortions in optical fiber systems and the inter-symbol- interference and the time-varying channel
impulse response in optical wireless communication systems have deteriorated the detection and the demodulation of transmitted symbols from the received signals in corresponding systems. In this talk, we will discuss the performance of advanced signal processing in mitigating the laser phase noise and the fiber nonlinearities under dispersion-unmanaged and dispersion-managed long-haul optical link conditions. We will also present signal detection schemes in ultra-violet optical wireless communication systems by designing optimal linear and high-dimensional combinations of extracted, signal-related geometrical features. Industry Proven Photonic Integration Using Photonic Wire Bonds & Facet Attached Micro-Lenses Dr. Laura Horan, Vanguard Automation GmbH A key technical challenge for photonic packaging challenges is crucial for industrial mass production of hybrid multi-chip modules. Vanguard Automation’s additive 3D nano-printing solution utilizes a unique IP portfolio of photonic wire bonds and facet- attached micro-lenses for optical connectivity. The technique relies on highly precise direct-write 3D laser lithography to print freeform optics between optical modules, realizing fully automated mass production without the need for active alignment. Achieving low-loss optical coupling requires mode field matching of the individual components and precise alignment between devices. Vanguard Automation’s 3D printed freeform structures have shown high reliability and yield for photonic packaging and integration. They are proven to pass strict industry reliability testing and have demonstrated reproducible low- loss coupling while accommodating up to 30µm of alignment offsets. integration and packaging of hybrid multi-chip modules is to realize low-loss, reproducible, and reliable optical connections with fast production cycles. Addressing these integration and
AlGaAsSb-based Single Photon Avalanche Photodiodes for 1550 nm wavelength photons
Jo Shien Ng, Phlux and University of Sheffield Single Photon Avalanche Photodiodes (SPADs) are used for single photon detection around 1550 nm wavelength, in applications such as Quantum Key Distribution and Optical Time Domain Reflectometry. They offer ease of use and high operating temperature, compared to other single photon detectors. Near-infrared SPADs often require moderate
cooling to suppress Dark Count Rate. Since operating voltage of a given SPAD can vary significantly with temperature, having SPADs with excellent temperature stability can simplify complexities around operating SPADs (e.g. SPAD bias circuitry and maintaining SPAD’s temperature). Near-infrared linear-mode AlGaAsSb APDs exhibit excellent temperature stability, significantly better than both InP and InAlAs APDs. Hence, AlGaAsSb-based SPADs offer potential of greatly simplifying operations of near-infrared SPADs. We have carried out an experimental study of In0.53Ga0.47As/Al0.85Ga0.15As0.56Sb0.44 SPADs, obtaining data of Dark Count Rate, Single Photon Detection Efficiency and afterpulsing for multiple devices. They achieved SPDE of 5-15% with DCR of 1-20 Mc/s at 200 K, comparable to InAlAs and early InP-based SPADs. There is potential to improve the performance of AlGaAsSb-based SPADs through improved wafer design and reduced device area, eventually simplifying operating complexity of these SPADs for 1550 nm wavelength photons. Continuous-Variable QKD for Flexible and Efficient Quantum Secure Optical Communications Michela Svaluto Moreolo, CTTC
Continuous variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) is a candidate technology to overcome the limitations of classical cryptography and enable quantum secure communications, offering potential cost saving and enhanced compatibility with classical systems. This invited talk will discuss challenges and opportunities
3D Printed Optical Interconnects via 2-Photon Grayscale Lithography for Enhanced Vertical Coupling Jörg Smolenski, Nanoscribe GmbH & Co. KG
of using CV-QKD, as enabler for flexible and efficient quantum secure communications in future optical networks, reporting our recent results obtained in the framework of European and National projects. Specifically, the talk will focus on CV-QKD as an appealing solution to facilitate the coexistence with conventional optical communications, for an efficient and sustainable integration of this technology in the network infrastructure, particularly in the context of open and disaggregated networks and considering the transition towards 6G. Software defined networking (SDN) further facilitates and accelerates a smoother integration within deployed networks, enabling flexibility, programmability and advanced features, such as flexible quantum channel allocation and quantum channel wavelength tuneability. Quantum Networks: from Quantum Key Distribution to Entanglement Distribution Rui Wang, University of Bristol
This talk presents a novel approach to photonic packaging with 3D printed optical interconnects fabricated using two-photon grayscale lithography (2GL). The method enables precisely aligned, low-loss connections, particularly for
vertical coupling, addressing the shoreline density issue expected with the requests for higher numbers of interconnects emerging from various applications. By utilizing a resin with a refractive index (RI) of 1.62, the approach improves the efficiency of vertical optical interconnects. This advanced vertical coupling technique allows minimized signal losses. Furthermore we will demonstrate several samples using Free Space Micro Optics (FSMO) for different optical interconnect scenarios.
The mode division multiplexing (MDM) technology is to open up the new dimension of fibers, enabling significantly increasing the capacity of optical fiber communication systems from the space domain. To implement the MDM technology in the real transmission systems, the great efforts on the low-complex multiple-input multiple-
output (MIMO) equalization have been made to reduce the cost of compensation operation for the high-capacity MDM systems. The hybrid algorithms, e.g., the transfer learning (TF), the genetic algorithm (GA) and the ant-colony optimization (ACO) modified MIMO equalizers have dramatically reduced the training cost, up to 100% compared to the conventional scheme. Moreover, the MDM technology is also considered in the free-space transmission scenario, such as the laser satellite communications. The wide-open channel brings the big challenge on the MDM implementation. The equalization algorithm as the powerful solution has been used to mitigate the impacts from the wireless laser channel, improving the transmission performance in the space satellite networks..
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