Photonic Networks and Devices (Networks)

Networks brings together researchers and engineers from various communities that intersect in today's applications that require photonic networks. The new applications and network architectures will both drive and utilize innovations in optical transmission and photonic devices. Growing demands for bandwidth, flexibility, programmability, resilience, security, low cost, high integration, high functionality, energy efficiency and small footprint require novel solutions in photonic networks and devices. New management paradigms in the framework of software-defined networking are needed for efficient and dynamic programmability of virtualized network resources. Meanwhile, the sustainability of optical networks needs to be addressed.

The topical meeting focuses on fostering research that supports the future scaling and performance requirements of emerging applications, including spectrally and spatially multiplexed systems, data centers and data-center interconnections, cloud infrastructure, high-performance computing and content delivery.

1. Network Control and Management
   • End-to-end converged management, network control and orchestration
   • Software-defined networks and network function virtualization (SDN/NFV)
   • Machine learning approaches for advanced network management
   • Network performance monitoring and analytics
   • Optical white box systems for programmable open networks
   • Resilient control plane for disaster recovery
   • Optical network security, including intrusion detection and mitigation measures
   • Digital twin technology for network automation
   • Control of heterogeneous access and metro networks, including analogue RoF transmission
2. Technologies for Data Centers and High-performance Computing
   • Optical networks for inter-and intra-data center communication
   • Disaggregated data center and HPC architectures and protocols
   • Resource provisioning for intra- and inter-data centers
   • Cost-effective and energy efficient co-packaged optics
3. Network Design and Operations
   • Optical network architectures and protocols, including aspects of energy efficiency
   • Optical routers, switches, and cross-connects
   • Reliability and resilience of optical networks
   • Filterless optical networks
   • Optical network security including quantum key distribution
   • Sustainability in optical networks and green optical network paradigms
4. Advanced Networks and Enabling Technologies
   • Multi-band and spatial-division multiplexed transmission systems
   • Fibre networks for sensing applications
   • Optical satellite networks and converged terrestrial/satellite networks
   • Future quantum networks
   • Photonic integrated switches and neuromorphic photonic systems
   • Free-space optical and wireless terahertz communications