Towards ultra-high capacity space division multiplexed transmission

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Peter Krummrich, since 12/2017
• Subject Area: Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
• Term: from 2016 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 289276170

Space division multiplexing offers a promising approach to increase data transport capacity in fiber based optical communication systems. Experimental implementations of this ap-proach have led to new capacity records. For a commercial viability, capacity increase by much more than a factor of 10 compared to single-mode technology needs to be achieved. So far, very limited information is available about the maximum capacity realizable with mode division multiplexing and potential limits.The project strives to deliver valuable scientific knowledge about capacity limits of multi- mode fiber based transmission systems. For this purpose, effects occurring in the transmis-sion fiber such as handling of differential group delays and nonlinear effects will be inves-tigated. In addition, potential capacity limits resulting from the optical amplifiers will be studied, which contribute a key function to the transmission system.As capacity increase cannot rely on installation of new transmission fibers and optical am-plifiers for each mode count, ways have to be found to operate systems with channel counts below the maximum number supported by the waveguide. Approaches will be studied to enable incremental capacity increase with an installed fiber base.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Major Instrumentation: Dotierte Faser
• Instrumentation Group: 5980 Faseroptische Bauelemente
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Klaus Petermann, Ph.D., until 12/2017