Christophe Kazmierski

Towards ultra-dense wavelength-to-the-user: The approach of the COCONUT project

This paper presents the high-level COCONUT architecture of an optical access network based on coherent technology, supporting ultra-dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). The COCONUT network should allow for seamless evolution from present PON architectures, but also support new emerging applications such as mobile back-haul and front-haul. Coherent techniques will hence allow serving a higher number of users, thanks to ultra-dense WDM, and reaching higher power budget, thanks to higher sensitivity. These features should allow for economy of scale and network consolidation. Although coherent solutions are well-developed for core networks, the prohibitive cost of their optical and electronic parts makes them unsuitable for the massive deployment of access networks. To this aim, COCONUT will address realization of coherent transmitter/receivers exploiting low-cost components and simple electronics, so that the cost of typical line terminals would be affordable to the end-users. The paper presents an overview of the target results and key issues that are addressed by the COCONUT partners.

InP-Based Photonic Multiwavelength Transmitter With DBR Laser Array

We demonstrate an InP-based photonic multiwavelength transmitter realized by integrating an array of distributed Bragg reflector lasers with modulators in Mach-Zehnder configuration. An arrayed waveguide grating is used to multiplex the generated signals into a common optical output. The device is designed according to a generic integration concept, using standardized building blocks, and is fabricated in a multiproject wafer run. The device delivers up to 4 dBm of optical power into the fiber with a modulation data rate of 12.5 Gbps per transmission channel. The obtained performance makes it very promising for application in the next generation optical access networks as a key source in the central office part of the telecommunication systems.

Demonstration of a Remotely Dual-Pumped Long-Reach PON for Flexible Deployment

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a flexible wavelength division multiplexing/time division multiplexing network architecture for converged metro-access environment. Entire passiveness in the fiber plant is achieved with remote amplification in the signal distribution nodes along the metro ring and in the power splitters of the local access tree. We assist a traditional remote pumping scheme with a distributed pump provided by the optical network units and demonstrate that loss budgets beyond 30 dB can be supported. Data transmission of up to 10 Gb/s is evaluated in different deployment scenarios, reaching from a 78 km long reach rural to a dense 1:128 split/λ urban configuration with field installed fibers, including also worst case resilience configurations.

Bidirectional 2.5-Gb/s WDM-PON Using FP-LDs Wavelength-Locked by a Multiple-Wavelength Seeding Source Based on a Mode-Locked Laser

We experimentally investigate the operation of a cost-effective wavelength-division-multiplexed passive optical network (WDM-PON) based on wavelength-locked Fabry-Pérot laser diodes (FP-LDs). A single quantum-dash passively mode-locked laser (QD-MLL) is combined with an arrayed waveguide grating in WDM-PON architecture to provide a low-noise, coherent multiwavelength seeding source to injection-lock the FP-LDs for both downstream and upstream. The results show that the QD-MLL-injected FP-LD has the same performance when compared to the case of injection-locking by a low-noise external cavity laser. Error-free bidirectional transmission over 25 km for 16 channels with 42.7-GHz channel spacing is demonstrated at 2.5 Gb/s in the C -band and an optical budget higher than 30 dB is reached.

Mask pattern interference in AlGaInAs selective area metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy: Experimental and modeling analysis

We studied selective area growth modeling and characterization of the AlGaInAs material system. We used a three-dimensional vapor phase diffusion model to extract the effective diffusion lengths of Al, Ga, and In species from measured thickness profiles of the three binaries AlAs, GaAs, and InP. Our growth conditions yield to 50, 85, and 10 μm for Al, Ga, and In, respectively. Based on these values, we achieved a precise prediction of AlGaInAs thickness, composition, band gap, and biaxial strain variations in different selective area growth conditions. Particular attention was paid to the influence of neighboring cells in the case of high mask density. This configuration occurs in practical component mask layout. High mask density leads to interferences between masked cells and enhances the effect of the long diffusion length of aluminum and gallium species. Then, the biaxial strain is tensile shifted and the band gap is blue shifted in the vicinity of a mask, compared to reference material features grown...

Electro-absorption-based fast photonic integrated circuit sources for next network capacity scaling [invited]

Increasing component speed, throughput and efficiency inevitably leads to optoelectronic transmitters and receivers of more complexity, larger footprint, consumption and cost. Monolithic integration is known to help in solving these problems typical of discrete components. However, lowering of the cost, consumption and material usage must preserve high modulation performance especially while increasing the data rate. These issues are addressed by our new photonic integrated circuit technology on indium phosphide. The demonstrated laser transmitter circuits rely on electro-absorption modulators, one of the smallest and most energy-efficient electro-optic converters. By improving old and creating new component classes, this approach is expected to reduce dramatically their environmental footprint.

The Dual-Electroabsorption Modulated Laser, a Flexible Solution for Amplified and Dispersion Uncompensated Networks Over Standard Fiber

We propose here a monolithically integrated dual RF access electroabsorption-modulated laser called D-EML for the generation of optical single-sideband signal for both nonreturn to zero and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing formats. The benefits of optical single-sideband over double sideband in terms of resilience against chromatic dispersion effects are presented for high-bit rate intensity modulation/direct detection transmissions over standard single mode fiber in the C-band. Both simulation and experimentation exhibit transmission distance enhancement in the case of dual modulation of the D-EML, i.e., in optical single-sideband configuration, making this optical source an interesting solution because of its low-cost, low-size, and reasonable-power consumption.

12.5GB operation of a novel monolithic 1.55µm BPSK source based on prefixed optical phase switching

Novel optical phase switching BPSK transmitter was used to transmit 12.5GB signal over 40km. Speed scalability, ultra-small footprint and low power drive of the monolithic circuit are attractive for advanced format migration towards low-cost applications.

Dispersion Compensation-Free IM/DD SSB-OFDM Transmission at 11.11 Gb/s Over 200 km SSMF Using Dual EML

We report on a novel optical single sideband-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system for access and metro networks based on a single, low cost dual electro-absorption modulated laser. The experimental results successfully demonstrate transmissions at 11.11 Gb/s over 200 km uncompensated standard single mode fiber through intensity modulation and direct detection.

10 Gbit/s drop and continue colorless operation of a 1.5μm AlGalnAs reflective amplified electroabsorption modulator

AlGalnAs large spectral range EAM has been integrated with SOA using Single Active Layer technology. The device operates as a 10Gbit/s drop & continue colorless element in a 50nm spectral range up 60°C