The Space-Division Multiplexing (SDM) group investigates novel optical fiber communication technologies that are based on SDM principles. SDM seeks to maximize the efficiency of optical communication systems by utilizing the spatial domain to transmit different data streams over a joint SDM fiber channel. The technologies researched in the SDM group at HHI range from amplification to digital signal processing to novel measurement techniques. The obtained results will help to guide the design and development of the optical fiber communications infrastructure for the next decade.
Project SPACECOMM
Fiber optic networks are the backbone of our modern global communications infrastructure. The data volumes in these networks have seen an exponential increase for several years. Conventional fiber optic transmission systems use single-mode fibers, which can no longer sustain this growth increase due to their nonlinear properties. This has led to the development of several novel optical fibers whose capacity is dramatically increased by spatial parallelism. This technology, known as space division multiplexing (SDM), has so far demonstrated an increase in data rates per fiber by a factor of 100.
Commercially successful deployment of this technology in future infrastructure requires the development of an entire SDM ecosystem. This is the goal of the newly established Space Division Multiplexing group. In its SpaceCOMM (Space-Division Multiplexing for classical and quantum optical fiber communications) project, the researchers aim to investigate practical use cases for SDM technology. They are working closely with researchers from other groups and departments at Fraunhofer HHI to pursue four key objectives of increasing efficiency.