PhD All-Photonics switching in future fibre access networks F/M

about the role

Your role will be to conduct PhD thesis on the topic: All-Photonics switching in future fibre access networks. Optical networks are constantly evolving to meet the growing demand for digital services and the increasing number of users. The emergence of new applications with specific constraints requires rethinking transmission strategies to ensure ever-higher data rates and network resilience, as well as increasingly low latencies and predictable transmission delays.

In the last-mile segment of fixed telecommunication services, different optical access network topologies are currently deployed depending on the type of usage: PON or Point-to-Point connectivity for residential, mobile, or enterprise customers. The traffic from all users is aggregated by the OLT, the first network equipment at the operator side. This device connects several thousand of clients, leading to data rates reaching multiple terabits per second per OLT and pushing the limits of electronic processing.

All-photonic switching systems could offer solutions to address these challenges while reducing the environmental impact of optical access networks. Additionally, the broader transition toward increasingly autonomous and software-driven networks represents both a major challenge and a key opportunity for the future of network evolution.The general evolution of networks towards increasingly autonomous and configurable networks through a software abstraction layer also represents a challenge and an important opportunity for meeting future challenges.

The main scientific objective of the PhD thesis is to propose, study and evaluate the possibilities of moving towards all-optical architectures in access networks and their software integration. The main scientific and technical challenges are :

• Identifying appropriate technological solutions (integrated photonics, micro-optics, etc.) in the light of the constraints of optical access networks.
• Optimising the number and position of active nodes using all-optical architectures and the associated software opportunities.

To overcome these challenges, we propose to use several approaches, based mainly on experimental work:

• Study the scientific literature and produce a state of the art of all-optical switching solutions and their software integration as well as the associated network functions.
• Propose network architectures based on all-optical systems that meet the challenges of increasing throughput, flexibility, software abstraction and the environmental impact of access networks.

Setting up experimental benches to evaluate different optical switching technologies based on several architectures, with regard to the transmission and orchestration constraints of Orange networks.

about you

Your profile:

• You have an interest in experimental and multidisciplinary work.
• You like working in a team and want to share your knowledge and experiences.
• You express curiosity about new technologies and their implementations.
• You can understand complex problems and propose breakthrough solutions.
• You are naturally curious, creative, dynamic and you take initiatives.
• You have good writing and communication skills.
• You are fluent in English (writing documents, presentations).

Your skills:

• You are currently pursuing a master’s or engineering degree in one of the following fields: Engineering school or research master in Photonics, Optronics, Electronics or Telecommunications.

You have a significant background in all or part of the following areas:

• Photonics, optronics.
• Electronics.
• Optical telecommunications networks and systems.
• Tests and measurements of optical transmissions.
• Programming in Python or Matlab.
• Microcontroller programming (Arduino, ESP32, ESP8266…) and electronic prototyping skills would be a plus.

You have some experience as an intern in a research lab.

additional information

This PhD thesis is part of established partnerships, including European collaborative projects, academic and industrial collaborations, providing access to cutting-edge components and procedures in our field. The PhD candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to these exchanges and will be encouraged to publish in top-tier conferences in the field, particularly at ECOC (European Conference on Optical Communication) and OFC (Optical Fibre Conference).

Additionally, the candidate will have access to experimental platforms that are regularly enhanced to conduct the necessary tests. Throughout this PhD, the candidate will work with state-of-the-art optical components and technologies, enabling the achievement of ultra-high-speed performance in optical access networks. He/She will benefit from the expertise of the research team, alongside other ongoing PhD projects closely related to the topic.

This PhD will be jointly supervised by experts from Orange and IMT Atlantique, an engineering school in Brest and its Doctoral school ensuring complementary technical and scientific guidance. Dedicated research stays at the academic laboratory will be planned to optimally develop the various study areas of the thesis.

department

Orange Innovation brings together the research and innovation activities and expertise of the Group’s entities and countries. We work every day to ensure that Orange is recognized as an innovative operator by its customers and we create value for the Group and the Brand in each of our projects. With 720 researchers, thousands of marketers, developers, designers and data analysts, it is the expertise of our 6,000 employees that fuels this ambition every day.

Orange Innovation anticipates technological breakthroughs and supports the Group’s countries and entities in making the best technological choices to meet the needs of our consumer and business customers.

Within Innovation division, you will be integrated into a research team at the forefront of innovation and expertise in future optical access networks (next-generation PON, Point-to-Point, WDM networks). You will be part of a research ecosystem working alongside engineers,researchers and students who enable the concrete and practical implementation of studied concepts, benefiting from experimental and simulation platforms to develop and evaluate the networks of the future.

contract

Thesis

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