2023 Topic Categories

Topic Categories

The technical program is organized by three tracks: D-, N-, S- and the newly-formed Subcommittee Q (SC-Q).

• D-Track — In general, this track evaluates papers studying the design, fabrication and characterization of devices, components and fibers. Devices and PICs evaluated in a system should be submitted to the S-Track under the appropriate subcategory.
• N-Track — Focuses on the networking and service aspects of networks and systems.
• S-Track — Evaluates papers at the subsystem and system level at the areas outlined in the subcategory titles and the subcategory sub-bullets.
• SC-Q — Papers related to devices, systems and networks for quantum communications should be submitted to newly formed Subcommittee Q (SC-Q). 

New! Subcommittee Q (SC-Q): Quantum Devices, Systems and Networking

• Quantum Communication, Networking and Computing
• Quantum Optical Devices, Components, Integrated Photonics, Systems, Subsystems, Networks
• Quantum Single or Entangled-Photon Sources, Detectors
• Photonic Devices in Support of Qubit Modalities (ions, defects in solids, single atoms, others)
• Optics for Quantum Transduction, Cryogenic Optical Interconnects
• Quantum Optics, Quantum Memories, Photonic Quantum Computing
• Quantum Key Distribution
• Integration of Quantum Communication Links to Networks, Quantum-Classical Coexistence
• Lab Demonstrations, Field Trials, Use Cases, Certification and Standarization
• Novel Protocols

D-Track: Devices, Components and Fibers

D1: Advanced Prototyping, Packaging and Integration
D2: Passive Components
D3: Active Components
D4: Fibers and Propagation Physics
D5: Fiber Devices, Fiber Lasers and Amplifiers, and Nonlinear Waveguides

D1: Advanced Prototyping, Packaging and Integration

• Components, Devices, Modules, Integrated Circuits for Datacenters
• Commercial or Engineering Samples (Optoelectronic or Passive Optical Chips and Modules, TOSA/ROSA, Amplifiers, other)
• High-capacity TX/RX Modules, Multi-mode, Single-mode, WDM, Parallel-channel, VCSELs
• Large-scale Foundry PDK Development
• Large-scale Electro-optic Integration and Packaging
• Advanced Co-packaging and On-board Optics
• Electronic Driver and Receiver Circuits for Energy-efficient Transmitters and Receivers
• Photonic Network Elements and Enabling Hardware (Wavelength-selective Switches, ROADMs, Other) and Performance Monitoring
• Deployment Trends of new Fibers and Connectors

D2: Passive Components

• Free-space Passive Devices (Wavelength Selective Switches, Cross connects, other)
• MEMS
• Passive Fabrication Process
• Waveguide Design and Mode Convertors
• Fiber and Free-space to Chip Coupling
• Advanced Linear Passive Devices (Mach-Zehnder meshes, other)
• Filtering and Compensating Devices
• Wavelength-, Polarization-, and Space-division Filters, Multiplexers, Demultiplexers, Equalizers, Inter-leavers, Switches, Splitters, Add/drops, and Cross-connects
• Photonic Crystal, Ring resonator, Grating, and Other Nano-optic Devices
• Passive Plasmonic Waveguides, Devices, and Switches
• Conventional and ML-optimized Design, Fabrication and Evaluation

D3: Active Components

• Lasers and Amplifiers using Semiconductor Gain Material (excluding rare-earth doped or nonlinear)
• Modulators (incl. Plasmonic and LiNbO3)
• Detectors (incl. Plasmonic) and Receivers
• Active Wavelength Converters and Comb-sources
• Nonlinear Carrier Dynamics in Semiconductors (SOA-based/resonant nonlinearity, other)
• Active Semiconductor-based Switches
• Small Scale Optoelectronic Hybrid and Monolithic Integration
• Optoelectronic Device Testing
• Optoelectronic Devices based on Graphene or Other 2D Metamaterials

D4: Fibers and Propagation Physics

• Optical Fiber and Fiber cables Design, Fabrication, Reliability and Testing
• Hollow-Core, Micro-structured, Multi-Core, and Multi-Mode Optical Fibers
• Nonlinear Effects, Scattering, and Propagation-related Transmission Impairments
• Propagation, Dispersion, and Polarization Properties in Fibers and Free-space
• Novel Optical Fiber Materials, incl. Non-silica and Multi-material Fibers
• Non-transmission Use of Specialty Optical Fibers
• Fiber Characterization and Measurement Techniques
• Field Studies, Installation, Metrology, Connectors, Enclosures and Splicing

D5: Fiber Devices, Fiber Lasers and Amplifiers, and Nonlinear Waveguides 

• Spatial-mode Multiplexers and Multicore Multiplexers
• Doped Fiber and Waveguide Amplifiers
• Fiber Lasers and Short-pulse / Supercontinuum / Comb-sources
• Raman, Brillouin and Parametric Fiber Amplifiers, Lasers and Devices
• Phase-sensitive and -insensitive Amplifiers
• Off-resonance Nonlinearities-based Devices (Kerr/Raman/Brillouin)
• Fiber Gratings and Couplers
• Fiber and Waveguide Sensors
• Non-telecom Devices, Sensors for Bio-photonics, Astro-photonics, Imaging, Avionics, Automotive

S-Track: Subsystems and Systems

S1: Datacom Subsystems and Systems
S2: Transmission Subsystems
S3: Transmission Systems
S4: Optical Processing, Microwave and Fiber-Sensing
S5: Free-Space (FSO), Ranging (LIDAR), and Radio-Over-Fiber (RoF)

S1: Datacom Subsystems and Systems 

• Chip-scale, Rack-scale, Intra/Inter-Datacenter and High Performance Computing (HPC)
• Low-energy, Low-cost, Low-latency
• Modulation, Detection, Estimation (IM/DD, Coherent, other)
• Signal Processing (Analog, Digital, Hybrid) and Forward Error Correction (FEC)
• VCSEL, DML, EML and other CWL/Mod. Transceivers
• Wavelength, Space, and Time Division Multiplexing (WDM, SDM, TDM)
• Optical Switching
• Si PIC, InP PIC, GaAs VCSEL Array, other Integration Approaches
• Resource Disaggregation
• Co-packaged, Near-Packaged, On-Board
• Standards-driven
• Machine Learning, Training NN
• Lab and Field Demonstrations

S2: Transmission Subsystems

• Access, Metro, Long-haul and Submarine
• Transceivers, Terminals, User Equipment (Analog, Digital, Hybrid)
• Modulation, Detection, Estimation (IM/DD, Coherent, other)
• Modelling, Analysis, Design, Implementation
• Signal Processing (Analog, Digital, Hybrid) and Forward Error Correction (FEC)
•  Wavelength, Space and Time Division Multiplexing (WDM, SDM, TDM)
• Analog/Digital Data Conversion
• Machine Learning

S3: Transmission Systems

• Metro, Long-haul and Submarine
• Modulation, Detection, Estimation (IM/DD, Coherent, other)
• Multi-band Transmission
• Wavelength, Space and Time Division Multiplexing (WDM, SDM, TDM)
• Signal Processing (Analog, Digital, Hybrid) and Forward Error Correction (FEC)
• Machine Learning (ML)
• Linear and Nonlinear impairments
• Modelling, Analysis, Design, Implementation
• Capacity Limits
• Optical Performance Monitoring
• Lab and Field Demonstrations 

S4: Optical Processing, Microwave and Fiber-sensing

• Optical Signal Processing and Characterization
• Nonlinear Effects (Kerr, Raman, Brillouin, other)
• Optical Data Computing
• Configurable Photonics
• Optical AI and Accelerators
• Optical Packet and Burst Switching
• Microwave, mm-Wave and Terahertz Photonics
• Fiber Sensing (OTDR, Interferometric, Distributed, other)

S5: Free-space (FSO), Ranging (LIDAR), and Radio-over-fiber (RoF)

• Optical Wireless Communication (Indoor, Atmospheric, Space, Under-water)
• Visible Light Communication (VLC)
• Satellite Laser Communication
• LiFi
• Sensing, Positioning, Navigation
• Multi-Technology Converged Transmission
• Fronthaul
• Si PIC, InP PIC, GaAs VCSEL Array, other Integration Approaches
• Beamforming (Analog, Digital, Hybrid)
• Machine Learning
• Lab and Field Demonstrations

N-Track: Networks and Services

N1: Advances in Developments of Systems, Networks and Services
N2: Optical Networking for Data Center and Computing Applications
N3: Architectures and Software-Defined Control for Metro and Core Networks
N4: Optical Access Networks for Fixed and Mobile Services
N5: Market Watch, Network Operator Summit & Data Center Summit (Invited Program Only)

N1: Advances in Development of Systems, Networks and Services

• Near- to Mid-Term Network Trends and Applications, and Deployable Network Solutions
• Terrestrial, non-Terrestrial, Submarine, Datacenter, Enterprise, Storage Networks
• Field Trials, Demonstrations/Pilots and Interoperability Tests. 
• Network Engineering and Deployment, incl. Performance Evaluation and Installation Techniques. 
• Operational Aspects of Emerging Networks incl. Applications of SDN, NVF, Network Management, Monitoring, and Analytics (AIOps)
•  Optical Multi-Sense Networks. 
•  Optical Multi-Band Fiber Networks. 
•  Fixed and Mobile Converged Networks, incl. 5G and Multi-Access Edge Computing. 
•  High-Capacity Networks supporting High-Bandwidth Video and Low-Latency Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR) Services. 
• Demonstrations of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Optical Networks.

N2: Optical Networking for Data Center and Computing Applications  

• Intra-DC, Intra-HPC, and Micro-DC Architecture Design and Networking.
• Optical Networking (Fiber, Free-Space and Visible Light Communication (VLC)) for DCs and HPCs.
• High-Bandwidth, Intelligent, Programmable Photonic Network Fabrics and Network Interfaces for Optical Computing and Optical Information Processing.
• Network Accelerated Memory Transfers.
• Disaggregated Server Architectures with Pooled CPU and Memory.
• Optical Routing, Packet/Circuit/Flow Switching, and Bandwidth Steering.
• Protocols, Arbitration and Flow Control.
• SDN and NFV for DC applications (Resource Orchestration, Co-Scheduling and Co-Optimization).
• Data Analytics, AI/ML and Operational Aspects.
• Optical Networks supported by Photonic Neuromorphic and Reservoir Computing.
• Converged Edge/Fog and Cloud DC Networks and Applications.
• Edge/Fog and Cloud Computation Offloading for Low-Latency and Scalability.

N3: Architectures and Software-Defined Control for Metro and Core Networks

• Core, Metro, Inter-DC Architectures and Networks, for emerging Services incl. 5G/B5G/6G and Cloud Computing
• SDN and NFV in Optical and Multi-Layer Networks.
• Open/Disaggregated Optical Networks.
• Metro and Core Networks for Fixed and Wireless Convergence.
• Elastic Optical Path and Flexible Grid Networks. 
• Space Division Multiplexed and Optical Multi-Band Fiber Networks.
• Satellite Optical Networks.
• Optical Node Architectures for High-Degree Connectivity with Multi-Fiber/Core/Band Networks.
• AI/ML and Data Analytics for Optical Network Design, Control and Management, incl.  Programmable/Cognitive Optical Networks.
• Optical Network Design incl. Planning, Optimization, and Techno-Economic Studies.
• Operational Aspects incl. Energy-Efficiency, Security and Assurance.
• Reliability, Service Restoration and Protection.
• Dynamic, On-Demand, and Scheduled Optical Networking Techniques and Algorithms, and Service Orchestration for Computing and Network Resource Allocation.
• Open and Intent-based APIs for functions such as Topology Discovery, Service Management, Path Calculation and Provisioning. 

N4: Optical Access Networks for Fixed and Mobile Services  

• High-speed Optical Access System Technologies (DSP, FEC and ML), Network Architectures, Applications, and Services to Residential and Business Customers
• Optical x-haul Architectures supporting Mobile and IoT/Sensor Networks
• Operation Aspects of all PON variants incl. TDM-PON, TWDM-PON, and WDM-PON.
• Reliability, Protection and Security.
• DBA Algorithms and Multiple MAC Mechanisms.
• PON Virtualization, incl. SDN and NFV.
• Low-latency Solutions for Time Sensitive Fronthaul and User Plane Services.
• Optical Wireless Indoor Networks and Applications.
• Hybrid-Fiber-Coaxial (HFC) Access Networks and Applications.  
• Optical Local Area Networks (LANs) and Applications.  
• Low Layer Fixed-Mobile Convergence.
• Multi-Dimensional (Time, Wavelength, Space, Polarization) Capacity Increase and Sharing.
• Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) Architectures.
• Comprehensive Studies on Emerging Standards. 

N5: Market Watch, Network Operator Summit & Data Center Summit (INVITED PROGRAM ONLY)

The N5 programs takes place on the exhibit floor and comprise of the following:

• Market Watch – a 3-day series of panel discussions covering the latest technology, application, and business topics of significant interest to the optical communications professional community.  Sessions highlight developments in equipment and components as they relate to all facets of the communications markets from submarine systems to data center networks.
• The Network Operator Summit^* – a 1-day program covering current and emerging challenges and opportunities in telecom networks.
• The Data Center Summit* – a 1-day program covering current and emerging challenges and opportunities in data-centers and cloud networks.

*Summits will include a keynote speaker and several panel sessions, and will feature topics of interests to CTOs, network architects, network designers and technologists.