Peter Madsen

Challenges in Polybinary Modulation for Bandwidth Limited Optical Links

Optical links using traditional modulation formats are reaching a plateau in terms of capacity, mainly due to bandwidth limitations in the devices employed at the transmitter and receivers. Advanced modulation formats, which boost the spectral efficiency, provide a smooth migration path towards effectively increase the available capacity. Advanced modulation formats however require digitalization of the signals and digital signal processing blocks to both generate and recover the data. There is therefore a trade-off in terms of efficiency gain vs complexity. Polybinary modulation, a generalized form of partial response modulation, employs simple codification and filtering at the transmitter to drastically increase the spectral efficiency. At the receiver side, polybinary modulation requires low complexity direct detection and very little digital signal processing. This paper provides an overview of the current research status of the key building blocks in polybinary systems. The results clearly show how polybinary modulation effectively reduces the bandwidth requirements on optical links while providing high spectral efficiency.

Sliceable transponders for metro-access transmission links

This paper presents a solution for upgrading optical access networks by reusing existing electronics or optical equipment: sliceable transponders using signal spectrum slicing and stitching back method after direct detection. This technique allows transmission of wide bandwidth signals from the service provider (OLT - optical line terminal) to the end user (ONU – optical network unit) over an optical distribution network (ODN) via low bandwidth equipment. We show simulation and experimental results for duobinary signaling of 1 Gbit/s and 10 Gbit/s waveforms. The number of slices is adjusted to match the lowest analog bandwidth of used electrical devices and scale from 2 slices to 10 slices. Results of experimental transmission show error free signal recovery by using post forward error correction with 7% overhead.

Enhancing the electro-mechanical properties of polydimethylsiloxane elastomers through blending with poly(dimethylsiloxane-co-methylphenylsiloxane) copolymers

In this work, improved electro-mechanical properties of silicone-based dielectric elastomers are achieved by means of adding so-called “voltage-stabilisers” prepared from phenyl-functional copolymers prepared using oxyanionic ring-opening polymerisation of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and either tetramethyltetraphenylcyclotetrasiloxane (T4) or octaphenylcyclotetrasiloxane (O4). The concentration of the voltage stabiliser was varied both by changing the molar ratio between methyl and phenyl groups in the copolymer and also by varying the amount of copolymer mixed into a PDMS-based elastomer. The phenyl-functional copolymers were generally found to disperse homogeneously in the PDMS matrix and this resulted in networks with improved mechanical and electrical properties. The developed elastomers were inherently extensible with enhanced tensile and tear strengths, due to phenyl-rich microphases acting as reinforcing domains. Furthermore, addition of phenyl-functional copolymers resulted in elastomers with increased relative permittivity and electrical breakdown strength compared to control elastomers while retaining a low dielectric loss. This demonstrates their efficiency as voltage stabilisers.

RFID-over-fiber system for agricultural exploitations: Wireless track and trace with range extension using optical fiber

This paper proposes and demonstrates an RFID-over-Fiber wireless track and trace system using active RFID tags and operating over distances up to 30 km of optical fiber and 35 meters of wireless readability.

Long Reach RFID-over-Fiber Distribution and Collection Network

This paper presents an RFID-over-Fiber wireless track and trace system using active RFID tags. This paper demonstrates a system, operating over distances up to 30km of optical fiber and 50m of wireless readability.