Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/J44773/01
Title:	PARALLEL OPTO-ELECTRONIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS - POETS
Principal Investigator:	Crossland, Professor WA
Other Investigators:	Mears, Dr R Carroll, Professor J
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	BT Nortel
Department:	Engineering
Organisation:	University of Cambridge
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 December 1993	Ends:	31 January 1997	Value (£):	171,768
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Optical Communications
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Communications
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Objectives:To investigate and demonstrate the principles of free space photonic switches for:a) High data rate optically transparent routing switches in the space and wavelength domain, andb) Parallel optical interconnects in large ATM switches.Progress:Network requirements have been reviewed and an interim report has focused attention on:a) wavelength-space switches with modest numbers of ports (e.g. 16x16) and a maximum of 16 or 32 wavelengths, andb) on ATM switch capacities of the order of hundreds of Gb/sc) on examining carefully the magnitude of homodyne beat noise arising from space switches operating in WDM networks.Progress is being made in designing optically transparent holographic switches that may offer the prospect of low loss and polarisation insensitivity. Wavelength demultiplexing using dynamically reconfigurable holograms has been proposed as an option for the wavelength switch demonstrator.A study of the possible impact of the connectivity of free space optics on the design of large electronic ATM switches has commenced. This has directed attention to output queued switch architectures employing grouping and additional paths through the switch. Optically assisted implementations of modular systems of this kind are under consideration. Optically accessible electronic memory (optoRAM) may provide one way in which free space optical interconnects can help in the design of electronic switches. OptoRAMs based on silicon VLSI and ferroelectric liquid crystals could have a data throughput of hundreds of Gb/s. Detailed design has commenced on a first optoRAM proof of principle demonstrator chip that will have a capability of 1 Gb/s. Liquid crystal electro-optic effects and device fabrication facilities are well advanced to produce the various spatial light modulators required by the project. The processes for fabricating FELC/VLSI integrated circuits are now all established. The 1Gb/s optoRAM needs arrays of embedded light modulators operating at less than 10 microseconds at chip operating conditions. The electro-optic effect to achieve this has already been demonstrated with an attenuation ratio large enough to avoid the need for dual track logic (>>50:1).
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Organisation Website:	http://www.cam.ac.uk