R&D Projects
IPHOBAC
IPHOBAC aims at developing innovative millimeter-wave photonic components and integrated functions generically based upon the combination of radio and optics technologies. Advanced and compact photonic sources will be developed, including spectrally pure, highly stable millimeter wave sources and ultra-wide tunable sources and transceivers with integrated antennas. They will be used in Gbit/s radio-over-fiber systems, optically controlled antennas and instrumentation applications.
Funded by European Commission 
HECTO
The focus of HECTO is on the development of photonic components, transmitters and receivers for high-performance, high-speed and cost-efficient communication systems. Transmitters and receivers chips and modules suitable for serial 100GbE will be developed. Furthermore the specifications for the required photonic components taking into account emerging relevant standards will be evaluated and the developed transmitter and receiver modules are tested in a laboratory environment and in field trials.
Funded by European Commission
MIRTHE
MIRTHE targets new multi-level modulation all-monolithic integrated TX and RX Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) able to achieve 100 - 400Gb/s aggregated speed on a single wavelength. Monolithic integration technology of InP will be used to develop TX modules based on phase switching in EAM-based PICs and coherent RX modules suitable for handling 28Gbaud and 56Gbaud DP-QPSK modulation formats and higher multi-level coding (QAM).
Funded by European Commission
COPERNICUS
The COPERNICUS project pursues a visionary concept for ultra-fast signal processing with integrated optical circuits in photonic crystals. Within the project several nanophotonic key components including all-optical gates, filters, demultiplexers and photodetectors will be developed and integrated in a photonic integrated circuit which will enable the reception of 100Gbps Ethernet and OTDM data. The COPERNICUS project is funded within the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission.
Funded by European Commission
100 GET
Transmitter and receiver components for advanced 100G Ethernet applications are being investigated within the 100GET project scope. The objective is to establish a close-to-market technology to enable a cost-efficient platform for high-performance optical front-ends suited for broadband network communication. Therefore, component prototypes and system demonstrators for advanced modulation and transmission formats are being developed in close collaboration with the project partners.
Funded by Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung 
MISTRAL
The BMBF funded research project MISTRAL aims at developing innovative monolithic-integrated silicon-based photonic components for telecom applications. As a result inexpensive transmitter and receiver modules for the use in 10G OOK and 40G QPSK applications will be developed, manufactured and analyzed. The different components, i.e. lasers, modulators and detector, will be based on a variety of different advanced technologies. The transmitters are GaAs-QD-DFB and III/V-hybrid lasers, the modulators Plasma-SOI, Polymer-Si-Hybrid and Strained-SOI and for the receive side Ge:SOI-detectors will be used.
Funded by Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
EIBONE
The BMBF funded project EIBONE focuses on the development of compact and cost-efficient receiver modules for advanced modulation formats, i.e. Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK) and Differential Quaternary Phase Shift Keying (DQPSK). This will be accomplish by developing an optical and electrical integration platform for active and passive components on the basis of the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. This allows to produce waveguide networks for the realization delay-line-interferometer (to convert phase modulated signal in amplitude-modulated signals), as well the assembly of opto-electronic components like photodiodes and SOAs via flip-chip bonding.
Funded by Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
100x100
100x100 Optics addresses the development of low cost coherent receiver to provide at least 100Mbit/s network access to 100 million customers. The project is co-funded by the Federal County Berlin (TSB, IBB) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The aim is to manufacture hybrid assemblies of polymer light wave circuits (PLC) chips and indium phosphide detectors suitable to provide integrated 90° hybrids, the core functions for coherent detectors.
Funded by Technologiestiftung Berlin 
GALACTICO
The project GALACTICO is focusing on the development of next generation silicon photonic components for coherent terabit optical Ethernet and is co-funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Program. GALACTICO aims to design and develop a photonic integration platform for the cost-effective fully functional multi-GbE coherent transmitters and receivers. To address cost, performance and volume, the aim is to utilize the most established integration materials such as Indium Phosphide and Gallium Arsenide for each specific opto-electronic function and to combine them on a silicon-on-insulator integration platform.
Funded by European Commission
PROPHET
PROPHET (Postgraduate Research on Photonics as an Enabling Technology) is an Initial Training Network funded by the EU Framework Programme 7 Marie Curie Actions, which aims to train the next generation of photonics researchers in the full range of skills required for a multi-disciplinary, industry-focused career in photonics. This network brings together a carefully-chosen, well-balanced consortium of 9 academic partners, 4 industry partners and 2 associated partners, with European and worldwide reputations as leaders in their fields. The network will train a cohort of 14 early stage researchers and 5 young experienced researchers in the full gamut of skills required for a career in photonics, including materials growth, device fabrication, characterisation, design, theory, and commercialisation.
Funded by European Commission
NGOA
In passive optical networks the sensitivity, as given by optical heterodyne receiver, is essential for high data rates up to 10 Gbit/s, high splitting factors and long ranges. The BMBF funded research project NGOA (Next Generation Optical Access) aims at the investigation of an optical access network, which, for the first time, uses optical heterodyne receivers. This enables to remove expensive amplifiers and filters from access links and allows to move the wavelength selection down to the respective subscriber. This revolutionary optical access network is based on the principle of coherent reception.
Funded by Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
HILIGHT
The BMBF funded research project HILIGHT focuses on the development ultra fast 400Gbit/s coherent receivers for dual polarization 56Gbaud QPSK and 16QAM modulation format. It therefore targets the development of new 90° hybrids, photodiodes, TIAs and an optimized packaging technology, all in terms of linearity and noise in close cooperation with the partners. A cross knowledge transfer with the EU FP7 research project MIRTHE for the optical integration is intended.
Funded by Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung