AZUR

In all systems using spatial multiplexing, the precise coupling and decoupling of optical signals into the individual spatial channels of the special fibers is a key issue.

The work at INT comprises two areas of responsibility:

Integrated photonic mode multiplexers with fiber-chip interfaces based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology are being investigated, designed, and tested using measurement techniques. The integrated structures are adapted to the components developed by the project partners, integrated into transmission experiments, and tested in the system setup.

Furthermore, INT is involved in the development and operation of the system demonstrators. To this end, an existing test bed will first be converted and adapted so that the project-specific components can be examined in transmission experiments and the system demonstrators can ultimately be operated. At INT, the transmission characteristics of individual components and those of the entire SDM transmission paths are examined at this measuring station. In addition to the hardware components, a key part of the transmission experiments is the digital signal processing on the receiver side, which is carried out with the aid of innovative MIMO equalizers. These work with fully populated MIMO matrices, which are adapted for systems with few-mode multi-core fibers and optimized in terms of the required computing power and latency, for example.