© David Jones
© David Jones

ADVA Optical Networking joins consortium

ADVA Optical Networking will play a key role in the Directly Modulated Lasers on Silicon (DIMENSION) project to help create innovative data centre technology.

DIMENSION consists of a consortium of research and industry partners from four European countries (Germany, Switzerland, Greece and the UK) to create a platform for single-chip electro-optical integration.

The technology produced involves lasers built with active III-V materials embedded into silicon photonics chips, generating innovative components for the optimisation of data centre interconnect (DCI) transport.

A four-year project, DIMENSION is funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Michael Eiselt, director of advanced technology at ADVA Optical Networking, said: “Improving efficiency in the DCI couldn’t be more vital given the increasing demand for cloud computing and the growing scale of the internet of things. Much of our recent innovation has centred on enhancing the DCI, such as our FSP 3000 CloudConnect™ solution. By integrating the three distinct technologies of silicon photonics, electronics and active photonics, we’re giving data centres what they need to meet tomorrow’s demands. It’s great to be working closely with other European companies and institutions to make this vital breakthrough a reality. It also provides fantastic opportunities for university students who get to be at the forefront of innovation and help make a significant impact on the industry.”

The project is led by Dresden University of Technology, Germany, and aims to enhance interconnectivity whilst reducing size and cost.