Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FLEX-SCALE (Flexibly Scalable Energy Efficient Networking)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-06-30
FLEX-SCALE (Flexible Scalable Energy Efficient Networking) performs disruptive research on optical x-haul network approaches related with Optical Switching Nodes and their Transceiver Interfaces that enable flexible capacity scaling (>10 Tb/s rate per interface, >10 Pb/s capacity per link and >100 Pb/s throughput per optical node), based on utilization of ultra-high bandwidth photonic/plasmonic technologies and the efficient exploitation of optical spatial and spectral switching (UWB/SDM). The network elements will be controlled by a ML-enabled SDN control plane that incorporates new resource allocation algorithms, enabling autonomous programmable disaggregated networks. It will achieve record energy efficiency (sub-pJ per switched/transmitted bit) and low cost, enabled by photonic integration and optical transparency and optimized traffic routing across network layers and segments, thus improving network QoS as required by 6G requirements.
The activity plan of FLEX-SCALE was structured so that most of the first half of the project’s duration will be focused on, either at network or system level work, and the preparation of the implementation and fabrication of the sub-systems that they will be eventually integrated together to a complete platform for the final demonstration. Towards this goal important achievements have been obtained in all the involved Work Packages. However, among them, we provide a small highlighted overview of the networking definitions and real-time prototypes that are fabricated, and already exhibit excellent performance, formulated as requirements in the 1st year: All the main achievements in the first year are listed below:
⁃ 6G Networks: Requirements & Architecture: Through the work of WP2 clearly have been defined eight service level requirements (latency, data rate, connectivity, availability reliability, security, information loss, power and energy consumption) and the corresponding KPIs for 6G operation (T2.1). A novel architecture topology including innovative devices and subsystems has been identified and specified exploiting both SDM and WDM (T2.2). These requirements posed on the entire system/network place their emphasis on the provisioning of a) traffic flows achieving a 50% reduction of energy consumption, b) traffic flows delivered in less than 15μs, considering packet and optical layers, c) spectral and spatial optical channels at 10 Tb/s, and d) achieving network reconfiguration in 10 μs. Finally, these system requirements translate into physical/component level requirements feeding WP3 and WP4 through T2.3.
⁃ Optical Transceivers: Significant advancements were made for realizing the next-gen transceivers . From the transmitter side we have demonstrated a plasmonic IQ modulator with 256GBaud 64QAM, achieving information rates up to 774 Gbit/s on a single carrier, while improving insertion loss, drive voltages, and EO bandwidth. For the oDAC-based transmitter we explore more promising architectures and investigate control and calibration mechanisms that are needed for optimized performance. On the receiver front, experiments with plasmonic coherent receivers measured both I and Q channels simultaneously, and progress was made towards a dual polarization coherent receiver with >100 GHz bandwidth. Work on a monolithic platform to merge transmitter and receiver technologies began, aiming to showcase components with unprecedented speeds and performance. Lastly, for the packaging we investigated new methods to achieve bandwidths above 100 GHz in the packaged platform, laying the groundwork for the fastest packaged transceiver by defining the packaging flow and minimizing signal path parasitics.
⁃ Multi-Granular Optical Node (MG-ON): The possible top level architectures for the MG-ON were extensively studied and modelled at different levels (T3.1) in order to ensure that the resulting design is commensurate with the relevant project objectives and meets the relevant KPIs in terms of node functionality, transport performance, traffic capacity and scalability.Then more detailed functional designs of a set of test structures were created – these being intended to inform the design and implementation of the subsequent PICs required to implement the WBSS (the adaptive lattice filter and a 4xN switching stage)(T3.1). These designs were modelled (in different ways), iterated upon (following feedback from LXI) and eventually frozen. Then die layouts were created, reviewed and finally frozen. When all of the layouts of the PICs to be included in the first production run had been frozen then the first production run started and is currently expected to be completed by mid-November. In parallel(T3.3) an assembly to host and electronically drive the main test structure PICs has been specified, designed, manufactured and tested.
⁃ Control and Orchestration: The WP5 activities have resulted in significant progress towards the design and implementation of the FLEX-SCALE control and orchestration architecture, leveraging the cloud-native ETSI TeraFlow SDN (TFS) controller with a modular microservices-based structure. Three primary SDN controllers are developed: an Optical SDN controller to manage the optical data plane, an IP SDN controller to handle the IP layer, and an End-to-End (E2E) Orchestrator to coordinate both controllers. Internal interfaces and architectures for these controllers are also developed, alongside enhancements to the OpenConfig data model to support the configuration and monitoring of new FLEX-SCALE devices such as MG-ON and 10 Tb/s transponders. Preliminary implementations of key FLEX-SCALE functionalities, including routing, spectrum assignment, and quality of transmission monitoring, were completed. Furthermore, early implementations of new TFS features were achieved, including the E2E Orchestrator component, VNT Manager, automation and ZSM closed-loop, monitoring, and analytics capabilities. A software release plan targeting specific test cases and updates has also been prepared to guide future development efforts.
⁃ 6G Networks: Requirements & Architecture: Through the work of WP2 clearly have been defined eight service level requirements (latency, data rate, connectivity, availability reliability, security, information loss, power and energy consumption) and the corresponding KPIs for 6G operation (T2.1). A novel architecture topology including innovative devices and subsystems has been identified and specified exploiting both SDM and WDM (T2.2). These requirements posed on the entire system/network place their emphasis on the provisioning of a) traffic flows achieving a 50% reduction of energy consumption, b) traffic flows delivered in less than 15μs, considering packet and optical layers, c) spectral and spatial optical channels at 10 Tb/s, and d) achieving network reconfiguration in 10 μs. Finally, these system requirements translate into physical/component level requirements feeding WP3 and WP4 through T2.3.
⁃ Optical Transceivers: Significant advancements were made for realizing the next-gen transceivers . From the transmitter side we have demonstrated a plasmonic IQ modulator with 256GBaud 64QAM, achieving information rates up to 774 Gbit/s on a single carrier, while improving insertion loss, drive voltages, and EO bandwidth. For the oDAC-based transmitter we explore more promising architectures and investigate control and calibration mechanisms that are needed for optimized performance. On the receiver front, experiments with plasmonic coherent receivers measured both I and Q channels simultaneously, and progress was made towards a dual polarization coherent receiver with >100 GHz bandwidth. Work on a monolithic platform to merge transmitter and receiver technologies began, aiming to showcase components with unprecedented speeds and performance. Lastly, for the packaging we investigated new methods to achieve bandwidths above 100 GHz in the packaged platform, laying the groundwork for the fastest packaged transceiver by defining the packaging flow and minimizing signal path parasitics.
⁃ Multi-Granular Optical Node (MG-ON): The possible top level architectures for the MG-ON were extensively studied and modelled at different levels (T3.1) in order to ensure that the resulting design is commensurate with the relevant project objectives and meets the relevant KPIs in terms of node functionality, transport performance, traffic capacity and scalability.Then more detailed functional designs of a set of test structures were created – these being intended to inform the design and implementation of the subsequent PICs required to implement the WBSS (the adaptive lattice filter and a 4xN switching stage)(T3.1). These designs were modelled (in different ways), iterated upon (following feedback from LXI) and eventually frozen. Then die layouts were created, reviewed and finally frozen. When all of the layouts of the PICs to be included in the first production run had been frozen then the first production run started and is currently expected to be completed by mid-November. In parallel(T3.3) an assembly to host and electronically drive the main test structure PICs has been specified, designed, manufactured and tested.
⁃ Control and Orchestration: The WP5 activities have resulted in significant progress towards the design and implementation of the FLEX-SCALE control and orchestration architecture, leveraging the cloud-native ETSI TeraFlow SDN (TFS) controller with a modular microservices-based structure. Three primary SDN controllers are developed: an Optical SDN controller to manage the optical data plane, an IP SDN controller to handle the IP layer, and an End-to-End (E2E) Orchestrator to coordinate both controllers. Internal interfaces and architectures for these controllers are also developed, alongside enhancements to the OpenConfig data model to support the configuration and monitoring of new FLEX-SCALE devices such as MG-ON and 10 Tb/s transponders. Preliminary implementations of key FLEX-SCALE functionalities, including routing, spectrum assignment, and quality of transmission monitoring, were completed. Furthermore, early implementations of new TFS features were achieved, including the E2E Orchestrator component, VNT Manager, automation and ZSM closed-loop, monitoring, and analytics capabilities. A software release plan targeting specific test cases and updates has also been prepared to guide future development efforts.
-Demonstaration of the plasmonic IQ modulator with 256GBaud 64QAM, achieving information rates up to 774 Gbit/s on a single carrier, while improving insertion loss, drive voltages, and EO bandwidth