CombTools: from lab to market
Project Pillar I: Concepts and Specifications (lead: NBL)
Nokia Bell Labs France (NBL) supports the CombTools project by providing industry-driven insights and innovative expertise. Its contributions include design concepts, defining subsystem specifications, and participates in system-level demonstrations. It has extensive experience in high-speed coherent transmission systems and digital signal processing.
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NBL leads the development of advanced communication systems that harness the power of comb sources to enable ultra-high-speed data transmission. This involves integrating key technologies to optimize performance. Recently, at ECOC 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany, NBL and KIT showcased a breakthrough demonstrating the potential of comb sources for fast data transfers, achieving speeds of 1.6 Tb/s and 2.4 Tb/s.
This work has also been submitted to the Journal of Lightware Technology: H. Mardoyan et al., “First Single-Carrier Transmission at Net Data Rates of 1.6 Tb/s over 9075 km and 2.4 Tb/s over 1210 km Using 300 GBd Dual-Polarization Signals and Probabilistic Constellation Shaping” (10.48550/arXiv.2409.00057).
Project Pillar II: Comb Sources (lead: EPFL)
EPFL is responsible for developing soliton microcombs in the CombTools project. This involves designing, fabricating, and testing silicon nitride (Si3N4) chips that generate these light patterns. The team also designs, fabricates and tests the Si3N4 for pump lasers.
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EPFL has also identified copper contamination in Si3N4 wafers, which causes thermal nonlinearities and prevents soliton formation. To solve this issue, they developed two copper-gettering techniques to remove copper, and implemented the copper-free photonic Damascene process. Using this improved process, they successfully produced and tested chips that generate stable soliton microcombs at different line spacings, paving the way for more efficient high-speed communication technologies.
Project Pillar III: Application Demonstrations (lead: KIT)
CombTools aims to showcase how chip-scale comb sources can drastically lower costs and energy consumption in data transmission. KIT leads the development of key subsystems to maximize their potential and prepare them for future commercialization.
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KIT is developing key subsystems, including comb line processors, IQ modulator arrays, and comb-alignment circuits to enable ultra-high-speed data transmission at highest possible energy efficiency. The first generation of IQ modulator arrays and comb line processors have been designed, fabricated, and tested, providing valuable insights for improving the next generation of chips.
Project Pillar IV: Application Demonstrations (lead: TU/e)
A key goal of CombTools is to demonstrate new technologies in optical communications, signal processing, and industrial 3D measurement. TU Eindhoven (TUE) is leading this effort and has begun setting up a testbed to evaluate packaged comb sources.
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TUE has made significant progress in developing free-space optical communication systems, including turbulence correction technology in collaboration with KIT. It has also designed various devices to improve optical signal stability in free-space channels. Check out their press release here.
Project Pillar V: Market Transition (lead: DLT)
Deeplight GmbH (DLT) is dedicated to bringing the cutting-edge optical frequency comb technologies developed in CombTools to the market. With a strong focus on industries such as telecommunications, sensor technology, and AI, Deeplight is bridging the gap between research and commercial applications.
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DLT has conducted in-depth market studies to identify promising applications for comb dies and modules, emphasizing their potential to enhance energy efficiency and performance in data communications, signal processing, and industrial 3D measurement.
DLT has added microcomb chips to its product portfolio and presented the technology’s potential at ECOC 2024, a premier optical communications event, featuring dedicated product flyers and banners. These materials will also accompany the DLT team to several industry fairs, providing further opportunities to engage with industry leaders and accelerate market adoption of frequency combs.
adoption of frequency combs.
