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High-capacity and adaptive optical fibre networks

Project ID: 2228cd1301 (You will need this ID for your application)

Under Offer

Research Theme: Information and Communication Technologies

UCL Lead department: Electronic and Electrical Engineering (EEE)

Department Website

Lead Supervisor: Polina Bayvel

Project Summary:

Why this research is important Optical communications systems and networks underpin the global communications infrastructure and the Internet, and are increasingly being used inside data centres. We look at understanding what is needed to support the increasing broadband data demands of a modern, global society. Through the study of future optical fibre network architectures and transmission physics our research will enable new applications, essential to our digital lives of today.

Who you will be working with You will be based in the Optical Networks Group led by Professor Polina Bayvel and your work will be integrated in the ongoing research programmes. These aim to maximise optical fibre network capacity, though a combination of new research in nonlinear physics, information theory, space division multiplexing, machine learning and digital signal processing. The ONG collaborates closely with leading industry and research groups around the world with many coming to use our state-of-the art optical fibre transmission and network test-bed. We have a long track record of training very successful PhD graduate who have gone on to win multiple prizes and awards and are currently working in industry and academia world-wide.

What you will be doing You will be looking into how to transform optical networks to be adaptive and intelligent and to provide further capacity scaling. This requires the understanding of all linear and nonlinear phenomena related to the propagation of multiwavelength optical signals in various media, including different types of fibres and free-space. We investigate maximising optical fibre network capacity, using new wavelength bands and fibres, and research in nonlinear optics, information theory, space division multiplexing, machine learning and digital signal processing.

Who we are looking for We are currently looking for academically outstanding applicants, in high-speed, ultrawideband and space multiplexing optical fibre transmission systems, including fibre nonlinearities and their mitigation.