Novel, all-optical approach to coherent signal detection increases data throughput and makes future 5G networks more efficient | The innovative technology for signal acquisition is also intended for use in sensor networks for automated driving or in quantum communication.
Vienna (OTS) - Bernhard Schrenk, 36, has received one of the renowned ERC Starting Grants, which allocates around EUR 1.5 million, for his research on a new method for precisely synchronising independent optical signals. This new method of coherent signal detection promises significant advancements in various fields of optical signal transmission and signal processing.
For Bernhard Schrenk, this five-year grant from the European Research Council dedicated to excellent young researchers in frontier research now represents an important factor for expanding his team at the AIT Security & Communication Technologies Competence Unit. It further initiates a key momentum for further development of enabling technologies in the field of telecommunications and information processing. The renowned ERC Starting Grant is a special recognition of Schrenk's numerous years of scientific activity, which is among the very best in Europe. For his research institute, the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria's largest non-university research facility, this European sponsorship prize is a very special distinction as an application-oriented research and technology organisation. Bernhard Schrenk has been working on photonics at the AIT Center for Digital Safety & Security since 2013. His research interests include the fields of optical telecommunications, integrated optoelectronic circuits, quantum technology and photonic sensing.
Coherent detection, which is foreseen for the reception of optical signals, has been established in radio technology decades ago. Every radio makes use of this detection method to select the station to be received. This method involves the signal generated far away and a local reference signal being on exactly the same wavelength. This allows not only filterless selection of one of several simultaneously transmitted signals, but it also provides reception sensitivities that are at least 100-times higher. More importantly, it grants access to additional signal properties. "In photonics on the other hand, the procedure of coherent signal detection is a very complex matter," Schrenk explains. His research is now seeking to discover to what extent independent optical signals can be precisely synchronised with each other. In order to master this challenge, he has received the five-year ERC excellence grant COYOTE - "Coherent Optics Everywhere: a New Dawn for Photonic Networks".
Far more efficient
The use of light as an information carrier for electrical signals allows an optical carrier frequency that is 10,000-times higher than that of an electrical carrier. As a result, an astonishing amount of up to 10 Petabits of data can be transmitted every second over a single optical fiber as thin as a human hair. However, such record values can only be obtained by using coherent signal detection, which on its own is a tremendously complex task. Despite the widespread adoption of photonic networks, which convey around 90% of worldwide data over distances of up to 10,000km, most of the applied systems are actually based on the much simpler direct signal detection. "However, direct signal detection only recognises the intensity of light and is blind to other properties, such as phase or polarisation. Direct signal detection thus represents a roadblock for an energy- and cost-efficient telecommunication infrastructure and data centers," Schrenk explains.
With his novel all-optical approach that avoids the shortcoming of electronic methods, signals can now be synchronised directly at the optical domain. It eliminates frequency mismatch even though extremely high carrier frequencies of around 190 Terahertz are used. Since the coherent transmission of information is now possible without additional signal recovery, energy-hungry digital signal processing of broadband signals can be omitted. This significantly increases the energy efficiency. Another advantage compared to direct signal detection is the beneficial use of the phase and polarisation dimensions, which safeguards continuous bandwidth scaling. As such, precious optical spectrum can be exploited in the best possible way.
Simultaneous transmission and reception
On top of this, Schrenk is taking another leap ahead and proposes photonic communication technology that is not tied to a specific transmission direction. This allows to send and receive data at the same time. "This is similar as if you could hear with your mouth at the same time - and even better than using your ears," Schrenk explains.
These pioneering innovations not only contribute to the evolution of wired and wireless telecommunication networks; Cloud data centers and high performance computing will also benefit from the disruptive implementation of coherent homodyne detection in the most simple and yet efficient way. The innovative coherent translation of signals between electrical and optical domains while preserving the signal integrity without further digital processing is also important for applications in the field of fibre-optic sensing, for instance in future traffic infrastructures. Moreover, it will also contribute to the information-theoric secure generation of keys in quantum communication.
Using an early proof-of-concept experiment within the research field of the ERC grant, Bernhard Schrenk gained widespread recognition earlier this year. He presented the world's first demonstration of a simple laser light source that can simultaneously transmit and receive a data stream at 10 Gb/s. At the OFC Conference (Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition) in San Diego, which with more than 15,000 attendees is the world's largest conference on optical telecommunications, the scientific paper was ranked within the top-3 out of a total of 800 scientific contributions as the best contribution in the conference track on opto-electriconic systems.
About:
Bernhard Schrenk, 36, is a scientist at the Center for Digital Safety & Security of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology since five years, dedicated to photonics, optoelectronics and high frequency technology. During his master's degree in 2007, he contributed to the first real-world network demonstration of a quantum key distribution system based on entangled photons as part of Professor Zeilinger's group at the University of Vienna.
Before his career at AIT he held a senior position at the National Technical University of Athens. During his professional career, Schrenk has been awarded with a number of grants and prizes, including the Marie Curie CIG Grant and the Student Innovation Award from the European Technology Platform Photonics21, at which he was later elected to the Board of Stakeholders. He holds a number of patents together with his fellow researchers. He received his master's degree from the Technische Universität Wien (Vienna University of Technology) with distinction. He graduated cum laude from his doctorate in the field of signal theory and optical telecommunications at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona (Polytechnic University of Catalonia).
About the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria's largest non-university research facility, specialising in key infrastructure topics for the future. State-of-the-art information and communication technologies (ICT) and systems are being developed in the AIT Center for Digital Safety and Security in order to design critical infrastructures in a secure and reliable manner in the context of comprehensive and global networking and digitisation.
The AIT experts in the field of optical quantum technology are dedicated to developing and integrating systems for quantum cryptography and also to developing products based on technology inspired by quantum techniques. The solutions provide an important foundation for research and development in quantum optics and other applied research areas, such as the life sciences. AIT hopes to bring quantum technology out of the laboratory and to the customers using this key field. Further information can be found at: https://www.ait.ac.at/en/research-fields/physical-layer-security/optical-quantum-technologies/
Image:
The renowned ERC Starting Grant is a special recognition for AIT researcher Bernhard Schrenk's numerous years of research activity, which is among the very best in Europe.
Photo credits: AIT / Michael Mürling
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