Polarization-, carrier-, and format-selectable optical flow generation based on a multi-flow transmitter using passive polymers

In this paper we present a multi-flow transmitter developed within the EU project PANTHER and we evaluate its first proof-of-concept demonstration of up to two single- or dual-polarization optical flows with selectable wavelength, m-QAM modulation format, number of carriers and destination. Multiflow operation is realized by two polymer boards allowing optical carrier management and optional polarization multiplexing on chip. Optical carrier generation is performed also on chip using three tunable InP gain chips hybridly integrated on the input polyboard. Single and dual optical flow generation is feasible with appropriate distribution of the client data in the digital domain and encapsulation into OTN containers. Configuration of the electrical and optical transmitter resources is performed via a developed software defined optics (SDO) platform residing on top of the transmitter and acting as the interface between any software defined switch and the physical layer transport equipment. The transmitter has been evaluated within a flexible network node comprising programmable flexible wavelength selective switches (WSSs). Two single-flow scenarios based on a dual-polarization m-QAM signal and a two-carrier m-QAM optical flow and dual-flow scenarios based on two independent m-QAM signals have been evaluated at 28 Gbaud after transmission over 100 km standard single mode fiber (SSMF).