Christopher Richard Doerr

Bio: Christopher Richard Doerr is an academic researcher from Alcatel-Lucent. The author has contributed to research in topics: Wavelength-division multiplexing & Waveguide (optics). The author has an hindex of 55, co-authored 516 publications receiving 12811 citations. Previous affiliations of Christopher Richard Doerr include Bell Labs & University of California, Davis.

What is — and what is not — an optical isolator

Abstract: The quest for on-chip optical isolators has recently spawned many new isolator structures. However, there has been some confusion about the requirement of nonreciprocity. Here, we review the essential characteristics of an isolator.

Spectrally Efficient Long-Haul Optical Networking Using 112-Gb/s Polarization-Multiplexed 16-QAM

Abstract: We discuss the generation, wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) long-haul transmission, and coherent detection of 112-Gb/s polarization-division-multiplexed (PDM) 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM) at a line rate of 14 Gbaud and spectral efficiencies beyond 4 b/s/Hz. We describe the (off-line) digital signal processing and blind filter adaptation algorithms used in our intradyne receiver and characterize its performance using both simulated and measured 16-QAM waveforms. We measure a required optical signal-to-noise ratio of 20.2 dB (0.1-nm reference bandwidth; 10-3 bit-error ratio), 3.2-dB off the theoretical limit. We study the effects of finite analog-to-digital converter resolution, laser frequency offset, laser phase noise, and narrowband optical filtering. Our experiments on a 25-GHz WDM grid (4.1-b/s/Hz spectral efficiency) reveal a 1-dB penalty after 7 passes though reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs) and an achievable transmission reach of 1022 km of uncompensated standard single-mode fiber. At a spectral efficiency of 6.2 b/s/Hz (16.67-GHz WDM channel spacing) a transmission reach of 630 km is attained.

All-Optical Network Consortium-ultrafast TDM networks

Abstract: We describe recent results of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) sponsored Consortium on Wideband All-Optical Networks which is developing architectures, technology components, and applications for ultrafast 100 Gb/s time-division multiplexing (TDM) optical networks. The shared-media ultrafast networks we envision are appropriate for providing low-access-delay bandwidth on demand to both future high-burst rate (100 Gb/s) users as well aggregates of lower-rate users (i.e., a heterogeneous user population). To realize these goals we are developing ultrafast network architectures such as HLAN, described here, that operate well in high-latency environments and require only limited processing capability at the ultrafast bit rates. We also describe results on 80-Gb/s, 90-km soliton transmission, 100-Gb/s soliton compression laser source technology, picosecond short-pulse fiber ring lasers, picosecond-accuracy optical bit-phase sensing and clock recovery, all-optical injection-locked fiber figure-eight laser clock recovery, short-pulse fiber loop storage, and all-optical pulse width and wavelength conversion.

A wideband all-optical WDM network

Abstract: We describe some of the results of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) sponsored Consortium on Wideband All-Optical Networks in developing architectures, technology components, and applications for the realization of scaleable, wideband, and transparent optical wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) networks. Our architecture addresses all-optical transport over the wide, metropolitan, and local areas. It utilizes wavelength partitioning, routing, and active multiwavelength cross-connect switches to achieve a network that is scaleable in the number of users, data rates, and geographic span. The network supports two services which can be point-to-multipoint or multipoint-to-multipoint simplex or duplex connections. The A service is a transparent physically circuit-switched service and the B-service is a scheduled time-slotted circuit which is transparent within its time slots. We have developed a 20-channel local and metropolitan area WDM testbed deployed in the Boston area, now undergoing characterization and experimental applications.

2.5 Tb/s (64/spl times/42.7 Gb/s) transmission over 40/spl times/100 km NZDSF using RZ-DPSK format and all-Raman-amplified spans

Abstract: We report 2.5 Tb/s (64 /spl times/ 42.7-Gb/s) WDM transmission over 4000 km (forty 100-km spans) of non-zero dispersion-shifted fiber. This capacity /spl times/ distance record of 10 petabit-km/s for 40-Gb/s systems is achieved in a single 53-nm extended L band using return-to-zero differential-phase-shift-keyed modulation, balanced detection, and distributed Raman amplification.

Terabit free-space data transmission employing orbital angular momentum multiplexing

Abstract: Researchers demonstrate the ability to multiplex and transfer data between twisted beams of light with different amounts of orbital angular momentum — a development that provides new opportunities for increasing the data capacity of free-space optical communications links.

Topological Photonics

Abstract: Topological photonics is a rapidly emerging field of research in which geometrical and topological ideas are exploited to design and control the behavior of light. Drawing inspiration from the discovery of the quantum Hall effects and topological insulators in condensed matter, recent advances have shown how to engineer analogous effects also for photons, leading to remarkable phenomena such as the robust unidirectional propagation of light, which hold great promise for applications. Thanks to the flexibility and diversity of photonics systems, this field is also opening up new opportunities to realize exotic topological models and to probe and exploit topological effects in new ways. This article reviews experimental and theoretical developments in topological photonics across a wide range of experimental platforms, including photonic crystals, waveguides, metamaterials, cavities, optomechanics, silicon photonics, and circuit QED. A discussion of how changing the dimensionality and symmetries of photonics systems has allowed for the realization of different topological phases is offered, and progress in understanding the interplay of topology with non-Hermitian effects, such as dissipation, is reviewed. As an exciting perspective, topological photonics can be combined with optical nonlinearities, leading toward new collective phenomena and novel strongly correlated states of light, such as an analog of the fractional quantum Hall effect.

Optical microcavities

Abstract: Microcavity physics and design will be reviewed. Following an overview of applications in quantum optics, communications and biosensing, recent advances in ultra-high-Q research will be presented.

Space-division multiplexing in optical fibres

Abstract: This Review summarizes the simultaneous transmission of several independent spatial channels of light along optical fibres to expand the data-carrying capacity of optical communications. Recent results achieved in both multicore and multimode optical fibres are documented.

Capacity Limits of Optical Fiber Networks

Abstract: We describe a method to estimate the capacity limit of fiber-optic communication systems (or ?fiber channels?) based on information theory. This paper is divided into two parts. Part 1 reviews fundamental concepts of digital communications and information theory. We treat digitization and modulation followed by information theory for channels both without and with memory. We provide explicit relationships between the commonly used signal-to-noise ratio and the optical signal-to-noise ratio. We further evaluate the performance of modulation constellations such as quadrature-amplitude modulation, combinations of amplitude-shift keying and phase-shift keying, exotic constellations, and concentric rings for an additive white Gaussian noise channel using coherent detection. Part 2 is devoted specifically to the "fiber channel.'' We review the physical phenomena present in transmission over optical fiber networks, including sources of noise, the need for optical filtering in optically-routed networks, and, most critically, the presence of fiber Kerr nonlinearity. We describe various transmission scenarios and impairment mitigation techniques, and define a fiber channel deemed to be the most relevant for communication over optically-routed networks. We proceed to evaluate a capacity limit estimate for this fiber channel using ring constellations. Several scenarios are considered, including uniform and optimized ring constellations, different fiber dispersion maps, and varying transmission distances. We further present evidences that point to the physical origin of the fiber capacity limitations and provide a comparison of recent record experiments with our capacity limit estimation.