PROJECTS
PROTEUS-6G aims to conduct groundbreaking research on complementary technologies that focus on scaling the fronthaul and midhaul (x-haul) segments of 6G networks. The goal is to fully support the potential of emerging 6G services.
This will be achieved through the introduction of several innovations:
A] A novel spatially-diverse point-to-multi-point (SDPtMP) optical fronthaul distribution network. This network will be accomplished by an innovative optical device that optically carves out transmitted digital subcarriers using an array of sharp optical interleaving filters. These filters are designed to jointly operate as circular subcarrier mux/demux.
B] Utilization of DSCM transceivers for up to 7.2 split option scenarios and development of the LITE-COH TXR. The LITE-COH TXR features 0.8Tb/s per-λ, contributing to reduced latencies and significant cost- and power-reductions through all-optical-signal-processing (AOSP) functionality. This displaces bandwidth-limited and power-hungry DSP used in conventional coherent TXRs for processing IQ quadratures and orthogonal polarizations, resulting in a 50% power saving in the new TXRs.
These innovations will be managed by a novel service management, orchestration, and control system. This system enables dynamic reconfiguration of the functional splits in the RU/DU/CU and dynamic reconfiguration of the packet-optical x-haul network to deliver the required transport capacity demanded by the selected split option.
The PROTEUS-6G consortium comprises industry and academia experts spanning the value chain, with demonstrated experience in transformational transceivers, fronthaul networks, network planning, and the development of operation algorithms and protocols. Their track record is evidenced by their research output and contributions to new products, services, and standards.
PROTEUS-6G is positioned to extend Europe’s leadership in 6G x-haul. It will offer the highest-capacity flexible optoelectronic interfaces and fast-switching nodes that fully exploit optical spatial/spectral/subcarrier resources using novel algorithms and control-plane implementations.
Project Web-site: https://proteus-6g.eu/
FLEX-SCALE advances disruptive research on complementary optical x-haul (x = front/mid/back) network technologies for Optical Switching Nodes and their Transceiver Interfaces that enable flexible capacity scaling:
- 10 Tb/s rate per interface • 1 Pb/s capacity per link • 10 Pb/s throughput per optical node based on utilisation of ultra-high bandwidth photonic/plasmonic technologies and the efficient exploitation of optical spatial and spectral switching (UltraWide- Band Spectral & Spatial Lanes Multiplexing; UWB/SDM).
The developed x-haul 6G optical network innovations will achieve
- record energy efficiency sub-pJ per switched/transmitted bit
- low cost, enabled by photonic integration and optical transparency, replacing/bypassing power-hungry and costly electronic processing systems (e.g., electronic routers/switches).
The Optical Nodes and their Transceiver Interfaces will be controlled by
- Machine Learning – enabled SDN control plane approaches that incorporate new resource allocation algorithms and protocols
Relying on emerging information models and enabling autonomous programmable disaggregated open networks, which will optimize traffic flow routing across network layers and segments, improving network Quality of Service (high rates, low latency, high reliability/availability) and low cost/power consumption, as required by 6G specifications.
FLEX-SCALE consortium spans the value chain of industry/academia experts on the targeted topics (transformational transceivers and optical switches, network planning, operation algorithms and protocols development) with demonstrated experience in delivering on their promises, as indicated by their research output and exploitation towards new products, services and standards contributions.
Project Web-site: https://6g-flexscale.eu/en
BBOI project aims to break the limitations of aggregating hundreds of functionalities into large scale photonic circuits boosting the complexity of photonic architectures well beyond the state of the art, but without increasing power consumption in proportion. A full-optioned multifunctional silicon photonic platform will be developed integrating on board novel sensor and actuator technologies for a reliable real-time monitoring, tuning and reconfiguration of the circuit behaviour.
BBOI success will make photonics to penetrate deeply in various ICT areas where conventional technologies are approaching their performance limits.
Project Website: http://www.bboi.eu
Tera Santa Consortium
Tera Santa Consortium
The objective of the OTONES project was the development and demonstration of a 1Gbps+ per sub-scriber PON using a novel optical access network and signaling approach with colorless and cost and energy efficient transceivers. The concept is making use of OFDM for the data multiplexing, the multiple access solution, as well as the seeding method in a densely populated DWDM scheme.
The proposal leveraged scientific and engineering knowledge of coherent OFDM and advanced self-coherent signal processing for long-haul applications. The project developed an ONU that implemented a polarization-resolved pair of self-coherent receivers approaching the performance of coherent receivers, while eliminating local oscillator lasers and 90-degree hybrids, thus being considerably more cost and power efficient.
The corresponding OLT hardware was very similar to that of conventional coherent OFDM transceivers, enhanced by novel signal processing algorithms implementing the proposed access-tailored scheme.
At the end of the project, the consortium presented a functioning prototype of the key devices, i.e. the ONU transceiver subsystem integrated on a silicon platform and the fractional wavelength-routing remote node component, together with the OLT function, establishing the anticipated benefits of OFDM /OFDMA in a long-reach capable terabit PON.
