Multi-mode capacity enhancement with PBG fibreMulti-mode capacity enhancement with PBG fibre (MODE-GAP)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Information and Communication Technologies
Destination: Components, systems, engineering
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: United Kingdom,Ireland,Netherlands,Denmark,Germany,France,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,Ireland
Call:  (FP7-ICT-2009-5, 2009)
Start date: 2010-10-01
End date: 2015-03-31
Duration (months): 54.0
Total project cost (EUR): 11618848.0
EU funding (EUR): 8330000.0
Participants: 10
Project status: CLOSED

The Mode-Gap project targets the 100 fold enhancement of the overall capacity of broadband core networks, and seeks to provide Europe with a lead in the development of the next generation internet infrastructure that will soon be desperately needed if we are to keep pace with societies ever increasing data-transmission requirements. It is now recognized that research results are within a factor of 2 of fundamental capacity limits, bounded by fibre nonlinearity and the Shannon Limit and radical approaches now need to be investigated if we are to avert grid-lock on the internet. Mode-Gap will develop multi-mode photonic band gap long haul transmission fibres, and associated enabling technologies. These fibres offer the potential of order of magnitude capacity increases through the use of multiple-input-multiple-output operation of the multi-mode fibre capacity and further order of magnitude capacity increases through the ultra low loss and ultra-low nonlinearity offered by multi-mode photonic bandgap fibre. Specifically MODE-GAP will: • Develop ultra-low loss («0.1 dB/km) multi-mode (&gt;10 modes) photonic band gap transmission fibre (MM-PBGF). • Develop novel rare earth doped optical amplifiers for the new transmission windows necessary for the achievement of ultra-long links. • Develop sources and detector arrays operating within the 1.8 to 2.1 um region • Develop MIMO arrangements for coupling source arrays to multi-mode fibre and multi-mode fibre to detector arrays • Develop MIMO and dispersion compensation signal processing algorithms applicable to both conventional solid core (glass and POF) fibres and MM-PBGF. MODE-GAP is therefore fully aligned with the objectives of ICT-2009.3.7 and directly addresses several of its target outcomes by developing “photonics technologies, components and (sub) systems driven by key applications/social needs” and using them to fulfil the EU vision of “future-proof networks and systems enabling unlimited bandwidth” enabling “more optical processing and very high spectral-density transmission and the reduction of power consumption at the system and component level” with the ultimate goal of enabling “increasing information throughput”. If successful, the MODE-GAP technology will have a significant impact in enabling “future proof networks and systems” of “increasing information throughput”. Without such a breakthrough the internet of the future will be severely compromised. The fundamental research needed to avoid this needs to be undertaken now.

Keywords: broadband enhancement,mimo,multimode fibre,pbgf,core network capacity increase,2um lasers,detector arrays