Photonic technologies for progrAmmable transmission and switching modular systems based on Scalable Spectrum/space aggregation for future agIle high capacity metrO Networks

Project Information

PASSION

Grant agreement ID: 780326

DOI

10.3030/780326

Project closed

EC signature date 15 November 2017

Start date 1 December 2017

End date 31 May 2021

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Total cost

€ 8 393 075,70

EU contribution

€ 7 535 747,50

Coordinated by

POLITECNICO DI MILANO
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PASSION (Photonic technologies for progrAmmable transmission and switching modular systems based on Scalable Spectrum/space aggregation for future agIle high capacity metrO Networks)

Reporting period: 2019-06-01 to 2021-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In the last decade we assisted to a continuous growth of the metro network (MAN), now facing a bottleneck in the transmission and routing of the huge amount of data due to the increase of the number of users, the content size, and to the convergence with mobile and datacom networks. Photonics is a key enabling technology for the evolution of the entire telecommunications infrastructure, supporting increasing bandwidth requirements and quality of service.
The aim of PASSION is to develop new photonic technologies and devices supporting sustainable MANs, enabling multi-Tb/s capacities over a few hundred-kms distances. The new MAN offers: (i) reduced costs, energy consumption and equipment footprint, that are achieved by the development of compact/cost-effective switching technologies and transmitter (using directly modulated vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, VCSELs) and multi-channel coherent receiver modules; (ii) increased flexibility and modularity using sliceable bandwidth/bitrate variable transceivers (S-BVTs); (iii) increased network and system scalability, programmability and reconfigurability, enabled by agile aggregation in the spectrum, polarisation and space dimensions and the implementation of a software defined networking (SDN) control platform.
Fig.1 shows the S-BVT Tx based on the modular approach: the module integrating 40 VCSELs in Silicon photonics (SiPh) and enabling up to 2 Tb/s aggregated capacity is the building block of the S-BVT. By combining four modules, a full 160-channel Tx supermodule is obtained with 25-GHz granularity over the whole C band and with up to 8Tb/s capacity. By exploiting also polarisation-division multiplexing and spatial multiplexing with bundles of fibres or multi-core fibres, PASSION Tx is able to reach a capacity per link higher than 100 Tb/s. PASSION network platform includes an innovative energy-efficient and small-footprint node approach, adopting flex-grid aggregation/disaggregation/add switches, high-connectivity multicast switches (MCS), and large-port photonic polymer PLC-based space switch matrixes. Such a S-BVT based network architecture (Fig.2) guarantees reconfigurability, flexibility and scalability to support a “pay-as-you-grow” scheme. SDN ensures network programmability, fitting network operator requirements and roadmaps.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

After 42 months 42 PASSION deliverables have been completed and 20 milestones achieved. The main scientific results are:
- Definition of use cases and requirements for the PASSION network, systems and sub-systems, including delineation of network hierarchical levels with different aggregated data traffic.
- Design and fabrication of the 40 VCSEL-based Tx module targeting 2 Tb/s capacity, exploiting energy-efficient single-mode InP VCSELs assuring beyond 50Gb/s DMT transmission, integrated with SiPh technology for wavelength multiplexing in a modular packaging.
- Definition of a modular approach to handle the add/drop and aggregation/disaggregation of traffic, to deliver on-chip switch node functionalities for flexible capacity. Reduced footprint and lossless performance were demonstrated by a monolithic InP 2x4 multi-cast switch and by a 1x2 wavelength selective switch. The hybrid assembly of SiPh AWG passives and InP actives demonstrated a 10-channel wavelength blocker. A 16x16 polymer-based space matrix switch was successfully realised.
- Design and fabrication of a coherent receiver PIC with on-chip polarisation handling, developing two tuneable laser concepts for the local oscillator. The PICs have been co-packaged and integrated into multi-channel coherent receivers.
- Design and characterisation of the S-BVT architecture considering up to 50Gb/s per flow, supporting the envisioned use cases. The assessment of the VCSEL-based S-BVT in different experimental setups was performed, supported by numerical simulations, with spectrum and spatial aggregation in a scalable and modular design.
- Integration of the developed PASSION components in a standard industrial telecom node realising a complete transmission board also with the mechanical integration of a spatial switch.
- Completion of the automatic management of end-to-end connections over the hierarchic MAN. The SDN controller was developed and validated for programming PASSION network elements, for the dynamic provisioning of connections and for the dynamic restoration of disrupted optical connections.
- Techno-economic analysis of the PASSION MAN, proving that PASSION approach with the pay-as-you-grow strategy and its single-transceiver-multiple-connection capability can provide relevant savings w.r.t. traditional fixed transceiver solutions.
The operator TID has foreseen two temporal phases for the exploitation of PASSION technologies in future MANs, developing a network software tool for planning network deployments with PASSION hardware. The vendor SMO provided a plan to integrate PASSION technologies in their metro product line, while the SMEs identified a clear path to exploit PASSION achievements including Basic Building Block Library for SiPh device development (VLC), production of coherent optical modules (EFP) and VCSEL integrated solutions for the TLC market (VERT).
PASSION had a good visibility in main social media and its videos had thousands of views. The partners participated to 100 congresses and workshops publishing 58 conference proceedings and 16 journal papers.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

PASSION demonstrated an application driven photonic platform for the development of a new generation of low-cost, energy-efficient and reduced-footprint devices and sub-systems, for signal generation, detection and switching, driving new technological paths for metro applications, with an expected impact in short-medium reach communications, where cost reduction and energy sustainability are mandatory. Scalability and modularity are our key features to easily upgrade the network, according to traffic demands, in a “pay-as-you-grow” scheme.
PASSION technologies were tailored in a new way with respect to the traditional high-capacity long-haul approach: the combined exploitation of directly-modulated VCSELs and SiPh, improves the bandwidth density in bit/cm2 and reduces the optical module consumption in terms of J/bit performance.
The innovation potential of the European photonic companies involved in the project was improved by the cooperation along our value chain. Two patents on technological innovations were filed. Contacts with standardisation bodies has allowed to promote PASSION technologies, mapping PASSION network architecture and S-BVT into standards in progress.
The medium-term competitiveness of PASSION technology was evaluated, identifying a considerable number of use case driven key-building blocks. An extensive techno-economic analysis indicated that the pay-as-you-grow approach and IP-offloading of transit nodes are paramount factors for the eventual commercial future of PASSION technology. The developed tool shows that PASSION technology can provide savings for operators from the first year if license-based pay-as-you-grow model is in place.
The project has also contributed to strengthen the capability of designing and manufacturing advanced photonics components against the competition of USA and Asia Pacific big players.
PASSION solution facilitates a vast increase in data exchange benefiting society by helping people communicating, sharing knowledge, and exploiting new smart services.

PASSION realised subsystems: TOP 2 Tb/s module, BOTTOM ICR, 16x16 switch and 2x4 MCS

passion.jpg

PASSION S-BVT Tx based on the modular approach

PASSION metro network envisioned infrastructure