This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 10325, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, Introduction (if any), and Conference Committee listing.

The Conference on „Optical Fibres and Their Applications” is held periodically in Poland since 1976, now every 18 months. It is organized alternately by two national optical fibre technological centres in Białystok (Technical University) and Lublin (UMCS University). The conference gathers interested persons from academic communities, technological, application, research and development, industrial, business, and administration ones, and summarizes periodic technical and application achievements of the involved national laboratories and enterprises, with participation of international guests. Since 1986, the conference is supported by SPIE – The International Society for Optics and Photonics via publications of their works in the series Proc. SPIE. The conference gathers usually around 150 participants and around 100 technical presentations. XVIIth conference on “Optical Fibres and Their Applications – OFTA 2017”, organized by Technical University of Białystok, was held in January 2017, and gathered similar number of persons and high quality papers. Topical area of the conference, which may be concisely determined as optical fibre photonics, embraced technology of active and passive optical fibres, active components cooperating with optical fibres as sources and detectors, optical fibre functional components, optical fibre sensors, optical fibre devices, circuits and systems – sensing, photonic signal processing, networked, and transmission. The article presents concisely a digest of chosen research and technical works presented during the XVIIth Conference on Optical Fibres and Their Applications.

In this article the luminescence properties of three different constructions of doble-clad optical fibers with multicores co-doped with Nd/Yb ions have been investigated. All fibers were made with thermally stable aluminosilicate glass. In each optical fiber, strong and wide emission in the 1μm range obtained by Nd³⁺ → Yb³⁺ energy transfer corresponding to the superposition of radiative transitions in two relaxation channels at 1062 nm (Nd³⁺: ⁴F_3/2 → ⁴I1_1/2 ) and at 980 nm (Yb³⁺²: F_5/2 → ²F_7/2 ) was observed. Optimization of doping system, geometry and amount of cores in fabricated optical fibers shows the possibility of controlling the luminescence shape achieved directly from the end of fiber. Comparative analysis of shape of luminescence (λ_exc = 808 nm) obtained in fabricated optical fibers and amplified spontaneous emission were also discussed.

In the paper the analysis of white upconversion luminescence obtained as a result superposition of emission bands in germanate glass and double- clad optical fiber co-doped with Yb³⁺/Tm³⁺/Ho³⁺ and Yb³⁺/Er³⁺/Tm³⁺ have been presented. Calculated CIE coordinates for glass co-doped with 0.5Yb₂O₃/0.4Tm₂O₃ /0.1 Ho₂O₃ were x=0.311, y=0.337, P_pump=2.5W and for 0.5Yb₂O₃/0.25Tm₂O₃ /0.25Er₂O₃ co-doped were: x = 252, y = 502. Influence of pump power on the colour coordinates have been also investigated. Thus Yb³⁺/Tm³⁺/Ho³⁺ co-dopant system in germanate glass was used as a core of double-clad optical fiber. Comparative analyses showed differences in luminescence spectra shape of bulk glass and fabricated 0.5Yb₂O₃/0.4Tm₂O₃ /0.1Ho₂O₃ triply doped double – clad optical fiber. Due to partial reabsorption of blue part of amplified spontaneous emission signal propagating band in optical fiber is shifted by 4 nm towards shorter wavelengths. Moreover the I_482nm/I_545nm luminescence intensity ratio is much higher than in bulk glass.

In this article, bismuth-germanate oxide glasses doped and co-doped with rare earth ions have been synthesized. Fabricated glass is characterized by good thermal stability (ΔT = 127°C) which are necessary for further forming them into photonic waveguides and low phonon-energy (ħω = 724 cm^-1), much important in upconversion processes. Besides, presented glasses have a low absorption coefficient (<0.5 cm^-1) in examined visible wavelength range. Upconversion luminescence spectra under 980 nm laser diode excitation have been observed in glasses doped with Er³⁺ and co-doped with Er³⁺/Eu³⁺, Er³⁺/Ho³⁺, Er³⁺/Pr³⁺ and Er³⁺/Nd³⁺ ions. According to emission parameters analysis, higher luminescence intensity in co-doped samples resulting from energy transfer phenomenon between active ions was observed. This demonstrates that bismuth-germanate oxide glass co-doped with proper rare earth elements system is an attractive material for applications working in visible range.

The aim of this work is to create the regions of different effective refractive index in typical liquid crystal cell thanks to the polymer-stabilization. For this purpose typical liquid crystalline material, namely E7, has been combined with a small amount of the mixture of RM257 monomer and UV-sensitive activator, with percentage weight less than 10%. Thanks to the photo-polymerization process it is possible to obtain polymer-stabilized molecular orientation inside LC cell. In particular, periodic changes in spatial distribution of effective refractive index in LC layer have been achieved thanks to selective irradiation with UV light. Determination of suitable dose of both the monomer and UV-activator to be added to LC material, as well as of irradiation intensity and time, is essential and highly required to provide repeatable and good-quality periodic waveguiding structures. Eventually, functionality of the liquid crystal cells with distinguished regions of different molecular orientation, and in particular with combination of the planar and homeotropic alignment, has been experimentally tested by launching the near-infrared light beams of orthogonal linear polarizations. Thanks to the molecular reorientation induced by external electric field and/or by electromagnetic wave, it is additionally possible to control character of light propagation by electric bias and optical power, respectively. Proposed polymer-stabilized periodic waveguiding structures in liquid crystalline materials may find potential applications as functional elements and devices for LC-based integrated optics.

In this paper, we present the LPFG fabrication using an optical filament splicer GPX- 3400 (Vytran) with tapering option where adiabatic, periodical tapers were fabricated by applying tensile stress to the fiber. The maximum range of the furnace movement is a few dozen millimeters from home position, therefore it is possible to apply the point-by-point method without introduction of additional, unnecessary stress. We used an “Omega”- shape filament to achieve homogenous structure of the tapers. Under this work, we have done the LPFGs on a commercial singlemode fiber SMF28 with the cladding’s diameter of 125 μm and the singlemode fiber Nufern 1550B-HP-80 with the cladding’s diameter up to 80 µm and polarization maintaining fiber PM1550-XP. A series of LPFG devices was fabricated with different periods and a total length of fiber grating depending on number of tapers. The analysis of attenuation bands was carried out by observing transmission spectrum in the range of 1200 nm to 1700 nm, whereas the fiber with LPFG was illuminated by a broadband light source. We obtained the optimum parameters of LPFG fabrication, separately for each types of the optical fibers.

Lead silicate glasses co-doped with Yb³⁺/Er³⁺ have been investigated. Up-conversion luminescence spectra of Er³⁺ ions were registered under excitation of Yb³⁺ ions by 980 nm diode laser line. Green and red luminescence bands correspond to the ⁴S_3/2 - ⁴I_15/2 and ⁴F_9/2 - ⁴I_15/2 transitions of Er³⁺, respectively. The luminescent transitions of Er³⁺ ions have been also examined with temperature.

The intention of the authors is to show a possibility of controlled crystallization of Er/Yb co-doped oxyfluoride glass fibers provided for glass-ceramics core fiber lasers or optical amplifiers at 1550 nm. Selected glasses (the batch composition 48SiO₂11Al₂O₃-7Na₂CO₃-10CaO-10PbO-12PbF₂-1.5/0.6YbF₃-0.5/0.2ErF₃) were examined in the form of powders of diameter 45-100 μm (diameter comparable to that of standard multimode fiber core 62 μm). Powders were annealed at various temperatures and time periods in order to obtain glass-ceramics with different crystalline fraction. DTA measurements and calculations (isothermal and non-isothermal annealing) enabled to determine JMAK (JohnsonMehl-Avrami-Kissinger) equation parameters and to estimate crystal growth rate and certain features of nucleation stage. XRD/TEM/SAED/EDS/HRTEM/SEM/EDS techniques (X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) enabled to determine crystal structure of growing crystals (erbium and ytterbium enriched hexagonal PbF₂, erbium and ytterbium enriched cubic PbF₂ isomorphic to the fluorite structure). Luminescence intensity at 1550 nm under 488/980 nm excitation has shown comparable values for glassceramics powder and for bulk glass what suggests a considerably higher emission yield for glass-ceramics fiber. The lifetime of erbium excited state for glass-ceramics powder (~4 ms) is also comparable to that of bulk glass and is promising from the point of view of a stimulated emission. Computed parameters of JMAK equation enable to establish heat treatment conditions for glass fibers and hence to control the level (fraction) of glass crystallization.

Recently observed dynamic development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) technology enabled significant broadening of potential application area, initially focused on high speed optical communication. One of the prospective and emerging fields is optical sensing, where photonic chips can play twofold role of an optical interrogator and an optical transducer itself. In this paper we discuss the possibilities and perspectives of deploying PIC-based solutions for both these applications.

This article presents results of a research on an optical fiber current sensor with external conversion (OFCS-EC). Presented OFCS-EC works on the principle of the Faraday effect. The active element in a sensor head was made of the reliable glass characterized by a high Verdet constant. The sensor was investigated in alternating magnetic field. The sensor was investigated in a configuration known as the optical fiber current transducer (OFCT). In this configuration an electric conductor was a source of a magnetic field. The variations of a output signal is a result of the Faraday effect in the sensor head. Investigations presented in this paper are focusing on checking whether a response signal from the OFCS-EC registered in condition closed to an industrial environment. The results of these investigations have proven very good stability and linearity of the output OFCS-EC signal.

This article presents basic metrological properties of selected integrated color sensor models. The study involved MTCSiCS and MMCS6 sensors, produced by MAZeT. Describes electronic circuits necessary for reading data from the color sensor. The analysis shows the relative characteristics of spectral sensitivity of the detectors, the linearity characteristics of the output signal as well as the useful range.

In this paper the hybrid wireless and fiber optic sensor system based on a fiber Bragg grating (FBG), ZigBee IEEE 802.15.4 and Radio over Fiber (RoF) has been presented. The sensor monitoring system generally consists of FBG-based temperature sensor integrating with ZigBee End Point, RoF modules and ZigBee Coordinator connected to the Managing Computer. The FBG-based sensor has been entirely demonstrated. It relies on conversion of a Bragg wavelength shift into a change of detected optical power. If the FBG spectrum is located on the spectral slope of light source, the Bragg wavelength shift implies the change of reflected optical power. Due to the distance, during the experiment ZigBee End Point and ZigBee Coordinator could not communicate. Thus, the RoF modules and single mode fiber have been applied in order to overcome the communication problems. By dint of this method information from FBG-based sensor could be transmitted to ZigBee Coordinator. Presented sensor system is easily applicable and prepared for another measurements. There are several advantages of FBG-based sensors, for instance: lightness, immunity to electromagnetic interferences or ability to long-term working. Moreover, the connection between optical fiber transmission and wireless communication ensures high flexibility and scalability. Thus, demonstrated sensor system could be applied at places with limited access.

Photopolymerizable microelements manufactured on the end face of optical fibers as microtips or microbridges between two optical fibers have drawn our attention as very attractive elements for optical fiber sensors’ transducers. In our first approach we have studied feasibility of a photopolymerizable microtip as a refractive index transducer formed on the end face of a standard multimode fiber (MMF). In the paper we have shown an optimization process in which we have taken into account two important parameters, i.e., optical power and exposition time. Depending on those parameters we have got different shapes and sizes of the growing microtips what were than tested on a scanning electron microscope. In the experimental step each of manufactured microtip was immersed in liquids with known refractive indices (1.4 - 1.6) and amplitudes of the optical backscattered signals were measured by OBR4600. The minimal reflected signal was comparable to the refractive index of a microtip. This conclusion resulted from measurement of the optical fiber without photopolymer elements for which minimal signal was of 1.48, what corresponded with the core of a standard MMF. When the refractive index of external liquid was higher or lower than the mikrotip’s refractive index, then, the reflection signal increased. The linear range of reflected signal can be used to monitor refractive index changes. Described in the paper photopolymerizable microtip can be useful for optical fiber transducers due to its small size and low costs. Moreover, by modification of a photopolymer mixture we can tune refractive index of a microtip and its minimal reflected signal, as well. The aim of further research will be to manufacture a transducer for the optical fiber sensor with higher sensitivity and to prepare numerical simulations of reflection.

Propagation of a light beam in optical fiber tapers depends on few parameters like diameter of a taper waist region, adiabatic or non-adiabatic shape of a whole, as well as boundary condition connected with refractive index surrounding the taper. As external materials many mixtures can be used allowing to manufacture different applications [1-3]. In this work we applied liquid crystals’ medium due to its optical properties - anisotropic as a cladding for the manufactured taper. Properties of liquid crystals can be modified by electric or magnetic fields, as well as by temperature change. These features make liquid crystal fibers very important for optical applications. In this work we have built an optical cell which consists of a liquid crystals’ mixture of 1550C1 [4]. The applied taper can be described by the following parameters: diameters of 10+/- 0.5 μm, losses lower than 0.5 dB in visible range, manufactured on FOTET. The tapered fiber was put in a liquid-crystal cell made of two tin oxide coated glass plates separated by spacers. The value of the used electric field was contained in the range of 0V - 160V. This experiment demonstrates ability of changing optical transmission in a tapered fiber immersed in a liquid-crystal medium. The range of optical transmission observation was between 500-700 nm which was connected with an LC transmission. Also, were performed measurements of influence of temperature in the range of 20-80°C on the proposed device. For temperature higher than 50°C, increased optical power propagating in the tapered fiber was observed.

An optical guide, in which propagated light beams undergo spectral distortion due to dispersion and nonlinear damping of the optical medium. This results in a change to the colorimetric parameters of the white light introduced into the optical path. The geometric shape of the end-face optical fiber as well as the position of the source influence the change of the distribution of the primary source spectrum. The article presents measurements of colour temperature nearest to CCT as well as the colour rendering index Ra (CRI) of the light-and-true optical for a number of selected optical guides.

In this paper, we present the project and usage of multiphoton fluorescence spectroscopy sensor, based on the photonic crystal fiber as an excitation pulse transmission medium and four POF fibers acting as an emission collection elements. Usage of the photonic crystal fiber as a transmission medium allowed us to transmit the 780 nm excitation pulse with total time spread as low as 65 fs, which resulted in pulse broadening from the base 127 fs to 192 fs. Pulse was focused onto the sample via the GRIN lens, which resulted in an observable fluorescence. Collection tips of the POF fibers were additionally angled to move the collection cones towards the GRIN lens focal point, which resulted in further increase of the collection efficiency. This allowed to create a sensor capable of measuring fluorescence emission of the fluorescein solution with concentration as low as 10^-4 M, with very low amount of bulk optics between the sensor and the spectrometer.

The paper presents the phenomena, that occur during the coupling of the cores included in the multi-core fibers (MCFs). It presents the design parameters of MCF, which have a major impact on their connection with each other and with the single-core single-mode optical fiber (SC-SMF), shortly called SMF. It has been demonstrated the need to constitute a new standard for multi-core fibers to the their mass coupling was simple and cheap. An analysis of use of fixed and reconnected techniques of the MCF and SMF coupling, have been presented. Attention was paid to the elements that affecting the quality of the MCF-to-MCF and MCF-to-SMF coupling, especially during fusion splicing. It presented the latest technologies used for connecting the optical fibers of new generation and proposes of new solutions and modifications, that can improve the work of future optical fiber fusion splicers.

In this paper we present the results of relative intensity noise (RIN) measurements for single- and multi mode 850 nm vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL). The method applied for the RIN measurements is based on an electrical spectrum measurement of a biased and unmodulated laser. The conducted measurements show that the RIN values of around 150 dB/Hz can be expected from MM and SM VCSELs.

A concept, technology and applications of novel linearly chirped Bragg gratings written in fused tapered optical fiber are presented. The novelty of proposed structure is based on the synthesis of chirps resulting from both a fused taper profile and a linearly chirped fringe pattern of the induced refractive index changes within the fiber core. Depending on the orientation of the optical fiber taper relative to the variable-pitch phase mask during UV exposure, tapered and linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings (TCFBG) with resultant co-directional or counter-directional chirps can achieved and thus their spectral responses can be widely tailored. Moreover the detailed numerical analysis of spectral shaping in TCFBGs is presented. Strain sensing applications of TCFBGs written in both co-direction and counter-directional chirp configurations are proposed and their advantages over typical tapered (uniform) FBG based sensors are highlighted.

LED modules emitting a luminous flux, implement near-field luminance distribution or colorimetric distribution depending on emitters location. In the far field there is complete mixing of luminous flux, both in terms of quantity as well as because of distribution color parameters. To achieve these mixing light in a short distance of the LEDs is necessary to use optical elements. The article presents the results of creating light distribution and luminance by using the ring optical elements with truncated outer surfaces.

To reach >50 Gb/s bit data rates using 850nm vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) at distances up to a few hundred meters, narrow spectrum single mode VCSELs are used to avoid negative influence of the chromatic dispersion that can significantly limit performance beside the mode dispersion. Currently available single-mode VCSELs suffer from small oxide aperture diameter, and thus from higher resistances and lower powers. Oxide–confined apertures in VCSELs can be engineered such that the design promotes leakage of the high order transverse optical modes from the non–oxidized core region into the selectively oxidized periphery of the device. This novel leaky VCSEL approach may allow fabrication of single-mode VCSELs with significantly larger oxide apertures, improving the performance of the single-mode VCSELs. In this paper, we investigate the high speed transmission over long distance multimode fiber using single mode 850nm leaky VCSELs.

In the current paper a demonstration network utilizing multicore hole-assisted fiber and a photonic fan-out/in components is presented. The demonstration network is intended to provide a testbed, which as closely as possible approximates the real-life telecommunication networks deployment scenarios and permits assessing the manufacturing and installation techniques required for commercialization of multicore fiber-based networks. Therefore, an extensive optimization of the multicore fiber splicing process has been performed, including analysis of any misalignments that may occur, influencing the insertion loss. The fan-out/in components will also form a crucial part of any real-life multicore fiber network, as they allow interconnecting with the predominant standard single mode fibers, therefore the development process of these components is also discussed. The most likely deployment scenarios for multicore fibers (considering their, at least initially, significantly higher cost) will be in space-sensitive applications, so a microcable (for jet-blowing into microducts) containing the multicore fiber has been developed. Finally, all of the above components, combined with some more traditional infrastructure elements have been used to build a fully functional demonstration access network.

In future, computing platforms will invoke massive parallelism by using a huge number of processing elements. These elements need broadband interconnects to communicate with each other. Following More-than-Moore concepts, soon large numbers of processors will be arranged in 3D chip-stacks. This trend to stack multiple dies produces a demand for high-speed intraconnects (within the 3D stack) which enable an efficient operation. Besides wireless electronic solutions (inductive or capacitive as well as using antennas), optical connectivity is an option for bit rates up to the Tbit/s range, too. We investigated different candidates for optical TSVs. For optical transmission via optical Through-Silicon-Vias, we were able to demonstrate negligible losses and dispersion.

To accommodate the growing demand on higher speeds, low latencies and low energy consumption, the interconnections within and between data centers are supposed to be implemented as optical fiber and waveguide interconnects in future. Optical fiber interconnects provide several advantages over their electrical counterparts as they enable higher bandwidth densities and lower losses at high frequencies over distances longer than few centimeters. However, nowadays optical fiber interconnects are usually not very energy-efficient. The systems in optical networks are mostly optimized for running at their peak performance to transmit the information with the highest available error-free data rate. But the work load of a processor system and hence of an optical link is not constant and varies over time due to the demand of the running applications and users. Therefore, optical interconnects consume the same high power at all times even if lower performance is required. In this paper a new method for the tuning of optical interconnects for on-board and board-to-board optical communication is described. In this way the performance of the transceiver systems of the link is adapted to the present transmission workload and link requirements. If for example lower data rates are required, the bandwidth and therefore the power consumption of the systems can be reduced. This tuning is enabled by the integrated circuitry of the optical link. Different methods for such an adaptive tuning are described and several practical examples are reviewed. By using adaptive bandwidth reduction in the circuits, more than 50 % of the consumed power can be saved. These savings can result in tremendous reductions of the carbon footprint and of the operating costs produced by data centers.

The classical method for designing an optical transmission link is to formulate a deterministic design and to then consider possible statistical variations that impact its performance. That is to say, the optical transmission link would be designed with ideal real world systems parameters, an amount of systems margin would then be applied to its expected performance in order to account for transmitted variation due to the allowed systems tolerances of the optical components at the manufacturing stage, in-line transmission changes such as fibre breaks/splices, differences between expected and installed fibre plant and the effect of aging on the entire optical system. The other design method would be to consider the impact of these statistical variations at the design stage, to consider their probability distributions whose variances are summed to create a joint distribution of systems performance. This probabilistic design approach has the advantage of allowing the designer to quantify the reliability of the designed system. The disadvantage of this approach is that it requires a significant amount of experimental measurements from a similar system or a similarly high number of results from analytical models such as the Gaussian Noise (GN) model.¹ In this work we examine a previously proposed three parameter analytical fitting model designed to enable investigation of intra-link optical systems power variation compared to the incoherent GN Model.

The ever increasing data traffic in data centers requires development of new optical fiber transmission technologies. One of the key challenges is development of packaging techniques that can allow low-cost manufacturing of optical data interconnects with the data rates 50+ Gb/s. Such packaging techniques on one hand need to provide reliable connection to the optical fiber on the other hand interface the modules with the high-speed electrical signals. In this paper we introduce the concept for the packaging of the data interconnect transceiver modules that allow operation up to 56 Gb/s. The packaging of data interconnects is based on high accuracy micro assembly. Further investigations on the electrooptical chip lanes in GSGSG and GSSG configurations are presented and impact on the system performance is shown. The obtained results indicate possibility to realize the packaging of electro-optical components up to 100 Gb/s non-return to zero (NRZ) data rates.

Current solutions used for protection of information transmitted in fibre optic networks are based on direct detection of fibre optic cable eavesdropping and encryption of transmitted information. Protection of fibre optic cables from physical intrusion in to the transmission channel is realized on dark optical fibres, not used in the transmission of information. Security of encrypted information is based on the assumption of limited computing power used for cryptanalysis, what with the introduction of operating quantum computers will cease to apply. So ideal solution for information protection is physical it coding that makes eavesdropping near to impossible, in the same time allows of constant monitoring of fibre physical integrity. The article describes the construction and principle of operation used in fibre optic pulse interferometer, that allows to detect mechanical disorders of fibre optic transmission line with simultaneous transmission of information. Operation of the system relies on encoding information in phase of optical radiation pulses and for monitoring the status of the transmission line by analysis polarization of radiation in interferometer. System configuration provides stabilized work of pulse interferometer over several kilometres, under varying environmental conditions. Unique capabilities of detection system enable the use of two independent criteria for alarm signal excitation. The aim of the study was to determine the security degree provided by system to protection of transmitted information in proposed arrangement.

In this paper, we evaluate the transmission throughput/range limits for multi mode and single mode 850 nm vertical cavity surface emitting lasers. Transmission experiments in the various configurations like fibre length are performed. We utilize the most basic modulation format as amplitude shift keying without any form of digital signal pre and post processing. Operation up to 50 Gbit/s below 7% FEC limit was achieved for both multi and single mode VCSEL. Experiments showed that SM VCSEL outperforms MM VCSEL in both fields: transmission distances and high speed performance operating error free at 25 Gbit/s up to 200 meters and achieving two orders of magnitude lower BER at 50 Gbit/s (3.7*10^-5 for SM comparing to 3.1*10 ^-3 for MM).

This article presents the concept of the encryption key generator on the basis of passive fiber optic components. Quantum random number generators (QRNG) are used to obtain the random number sequences used to securely encode information transmitted in the fiber track. The authors propose a different approach than the currently used random number generators based on beam splitting element, namely the construction of this type of system based on passive fiber optic components with the use of single-photon generation. The article presents the analysis of the generation of random number sequences as well as independently developed simulator generation of random sequences. It also contains a description of selected items and the reasons for selection as well as patterns of accomplished setup made in the Security Systems Group in Institute of Optoelectronics. The methodology of measuring generation randomness of quantum random number generator is described here, also certified system made by ID Quantique and propretiary solution is compared and results of measurements of this comparison are presented. The work also includes tests of the certified system Quantis by IDQ company and the system made by a team in terms of randomness generated within. These tests are important from the point of view of the certification of a generator system and assign it to the appropriate safety class. The measurement results are contained in the article.

This paper discusses the technology development for integration of parallel optical interconnects on board-level, including the active and passive optical components as well as the electrical integrated circuitry. The inter-chip link is based on planar polymeric optical multimode waveguides with integrated out-of-plane coupling optics and optical transceiver subassemblies based on glass interposer. Integration of polymeric waveguides on flexible substrates will be shown since the realization of an overlay optical substrate enhances the yield and testability of the final hybrid electrooptical printed circuit board (EOPCB). Realized on-board waveguides feature low insertion loss (minimum attenuation coefficient of below 0.1 dB/cm). For short planar waveguides (L_waveguide = 9 cm) error free transmission (BER < 10-12) up to 30 Gbit/s was achieved. The development of glass interposer passive optical coupling structures for VCSEL-based short-distance links will be described.

Modern high speed multimode fibers exhibit very low modal dispersion but suffer from the chromatic dispersion in glass, which is rather high at 850nm. To increase the transmission capacity on multimode fibers tested two approaches are applied and evaluated. On the transmitter side we designed and fabricated novel types of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) with spectrally ultra-narrow lasing emission both through achieving simple transverse mode operation and the negligible chirp. For increasing the transmission efficiency high-order modulation formats capable to increase the transmission capacity per single transmitter are applied. We report on development of very fast optical VCSEL and photodiodes within the European Project ADDAPT and show our recent results on high speed transmission over multi-mode fiber using 850nm VCSELs and GaAs PIN photodiodes applying different modulation formats. We show that the transmission distance and the transmission capacity of a single lane can be improved by applying high speed single mode VCSELs which are modulated with 4-PAM, 8-PAM and DMT modulation.

The paper presents a comparison of two technologies, i.e. Digital Radio-over-Fiber (DRoF) and Analog Radio-over- Fiber (ARoF), for transporting of the radio signals over all-optical network. The methods of calculating the appropriate amount of bandwidth and frequency band of the modulated optical channel, have been presented. A proposal of network architecture of all-optical SDN, controlled using the OpenFlow (OF) protocol, which allows combining the functions of backhaul (BH) and fronthaul (FH) networks, have been highlighted. The solution allows building a hybrid Centralized Radio Access Network (C-RAN), in the area of which can be combined and coordinated eNodeB and Radio Remote Head (RRH) connections to the core network. In addition, an example of the OpenFlow message format that allows to configure the optical node in order to efficiently transfer the signal coming from the backhaul (BH) or fronthaul (FH) interface. It should be noted that the optical node controlled by OpenFlow controller and supporting given proposal of message, can also work in the area of Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network.

In this work a study on three different concepts of photonic integrated multichannel transmitters for applications in WDM-PON access systems is presented. The devices differ in design of the main components of the chip – the lasers and modulators are optimized for different technology platforms. All are compared and analyzed with respect of the fundamental parameters like spectral and power characteristics of the lasers and performance of the amplitude modulators. The transmitters were designed in a generic approach and fabricated in multi-project wafer runs as InP-based monolithic photonic integrated circuits.

A possibility to estimate parameters of the first order model of PMD in a fiber of an intensity modulation communication line with non-zero residual chromatic dispersion is shown. Uncertainty of the PMD estimates is analyzed and quantified with the use of confidence intervals.