Special optical fibers for extending telecommunications frequency bandwidth

The amount of data exchanged is growing rapidly, and new solutions are needed to increase telecommunications capacity. To support the growth of telecommunication, it is necessary to produce a significant research and innovation effort in the field of materials and components. National effort has been launched to address the increasing bandwidth requirements, both for long haul and local area networks, and recent developments in the telecom fiber industry and diode laser technology.

Within this context, the research program aims to develop new, highly doped phosphate, tellurite, or germanate glasses and to fabricate optical fibers to expand the frequency bandwidth accessible for telecommunications. Funded under the PEPR 5G PLEIADES (France 2030 plan), a program seeks to extend the emission spectrum of amplifiers and lasers. The research will be conducted by two laboratories, ICMCB in Bordeaux and ICB in Dijon, which specialize in the synthesis, shaping, and characterization of glasses and optical fiber for photonics. Well-chosen composition of special glasses offer numerous advantages over silicate glasses, primarily related to the ability to incorporate very high concentrations of dopants without active ion aggregation. New glass composition and glass ceramics adapted to doping will be explored. In the specific case of glass ceramics, the goal is to disperse nanometer-sized doped crystallites within glasses with moderate glass transition temperatures. Compositions will be selected based on their fiber-laying capacity. The partners will undertake a material purification effort to fully leverage the advantages this type of material will bring to fiber lasers. The high doping levels achieved allow for a reduction in the size of laser systems, expansion of the spectral range and increased performance. Amplification tests will be conducted collaboratively by the partners of the PLEIADES consortium, which brings together the leading telecommunications partners in France.

The “Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux” (UMR5026) is a Joint Research Unit of the CNRS, of the University of Bordeaux and Bordeaux INP. The ICMCB has strong expertise in solid state chemistry, materials science and chemical processing. It uses this know-how for the development of new materials and new concepts for materials synthesis, shaping and recycling, covering the application fields energy, environment, health, electronics and photonics. The PhD will be conducted in the ICMCB-LIGHTTech. At the heart of the University of Bordeaux, LightTECH brings together researchers and teacher-researchers, experts in materials, components and photonics.

Master in material chemistry or material science