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Data rates in optical fiber networks have increased exponentially over the past decades and core-networks are expected to operate in the peta-bit-per-second regime by 2030. As current single-mode fiber-based transmission systems are reaching their capacity limits, space-division multiplexing has been investigated as a means to increase the per-fiber capacity. Of all space-division multiplexing fibers proposed to date, multi-mode fibers have the highest spatial channel density, as signals traveling in orthogonal fiber modes share the same fiber-core. By combining a high mode-count multi-mode fiber with wideband wavelength-division multiplexing, we report a peta-bit-per-second class transmission demonstration in multi-mode fibers. This was enabled by combining three key technologies: a wideband optical comb-based transmitter to generate highly spectral efficient 64-quadrature-amplitude modulated signals between 1528 nm and 1610 nm wavelength, a broadband mode-multiplexer, based on multi-plane light conversion, and a 15-mode multi-mode fiber with optimized transmission characteristics for wideband operation. Space division multiplexing solutions are one way to increase future fiber information capacity. Here, the authors show peta-bit/s transmission in a standard-diameter, multimode fiber enabled by combining several practical multiplexing technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral efficiency (SE) is one of the key metrics for optical communication networks. An important building block for its maximization are optical superchannels, channels that are composed of several subchannels with an aggregate bandwidth larger than the bandwidth of the detector electronics. Superchannels which are routed through the network as a single entity, together with flex-grid routing, allow to more efficiently utilize available bandwidth and eliminate the guard-bands between channels, thus increasing spectral efficiency. In contrast to traditional wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) channels, subchannel spacing and thus superchannel SE is governed by the linewidth and stability of the frequency spacing of the transmitter lasers. Integrated optical frequency combs, particulary the parametrically generated so-called microcombs, which provide optical lines on a fixed frequency grid are a promising solution for low power superchannel laser sources that allow to minimize the SE loss from suboptimal channel spacing. However, it is extremely challenging to realize microcombs with sufficient line power, coherence and line spacing that is compatible with electronic bandwidths. Because the line-spacing generated by most devices is above 40 GHz, demonstrations often rely on additional electro-optic frequency shifter or divider stages to avoid digital-to-analog-converter (DAC) performance degradation when operating at high symbol rates. Here we demonstrate a 52-line superchannel from a single 22 GHz line spacing soliton microcomb. We demonstrate 12 Tb/s throughput with > 10 bits/s/Hz SE efficiency after 80 km transmission and 8 Tb/s throughput (SE > 6 bits/s/Hz) after 2100 km, proving the feasibility and benefits of generating high signal quality, broadband waveforms directly from the output of a micro-scale device with a symbol rate close to the comb repetition rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-optical networks are a crucial telecommunication infrastructure in society. Wavelength division multiplexing allows for transmitting parallel data streams over the fiber bandwidth, and coherent detection enables the use of sophisticated modulation formats and electronic compensation of signal impairments. Optical frequency combs can replace the multiple lasers used for the different wavelength channels. Beyond multiplexing, it has been suggested that the broadband phase coherence of frequency combs could simplify the receiver scheme by performing joint reception and processing of several wavelength channels, but an experimental validation in a fiber transmission experiment remains elusive. Here we demonstrate and quantify joint reception and processing of several wavelength channels in a full transmission system. We demonstrate two joint processing schemes; one that reduces the phase-tracking complexity and one that increases the transmission performance. Frequency combs have the potential to be used as multi-wavelength sources in future optical communications through fiber. Here the authors demonstrate joint phase processing of multi-wavelength comb transmission, and show two schemes to improve performance and reduce complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser frequency combs with repetition rates on the order of 10 GHz and higher can be used as multi-carrier sources in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). They allow replacing tens of tunable continuous-wave lasers by a single laser source. In addition, the comb's line spacing stability and broadband phase coherence enable signal processing beyond what is possible with an array of independent lasers. Modern WDM systems operate with advanced modulation formats and coherent receivers. This introduces stringent requirements in terms of signal-to-noise ratio, power per line, and optical linewidth which can be challenging to attain for frequency comb sources. Here, we set quantitative benchmarks for these characteristics and discuss tradeoffs in terms of transmission reach and achievable data rates. We also highlight recent achievements for comb-based superchannels, including >10  Tb/s transmission with extremely high spectral efficiency, and the possibility to significantly simplify the coherent receiver by realizing joint digital signal processing. We finally discuss advances with microresonator frequency combs and compare their performance in terms of flatness and conversion efficiency against state-of-the-art electro-optic frequency comb generators. This contribution provides guidelines for developing frequency comb sources in coherent fiber-optic communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the use of optical frequency combs in wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) fiber optic communication systems. In particular, we focus on the unique possibilities that are opened up by the stability of the comb-line spacing and the phase coherence between the lines. We give an overview of different techniques for the generation of optical frequency combs and review their use in WDM systems. We discuss the benefits of the stable line spacing of frequency combs for creating densely-packed optical superchannels with high spectral efficiency. Additionally, we discuss practical considerations when implementing frequency-comb-based transmitters. Furthermore, we describe several techniques for comb-based superchannel receivers that enables the phase coherence between the lines to be used to simplify or increase the performance of the digital carrier recovery. The first set of receiver techniques is based on comb-regeneration from optical pilot tones, enabling low-overhead self-homodyne detection. The second set of techniques takes advantage of the phase coherence by sharing phase information between the channels through joint digital signal processing (DSP) schemes. This enables a lower DSP complexity or a higher phase-noise tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]