Optical Communication Systems and Networks

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Microwave and Wireless Communications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2026) | Viewed by 547

Special Issue Editors

Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033, China
Interests: optical wireless communications; RF communications; signal detection; MIMO technique; resource allocation; deep learning; reinforcement learning
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Guest Editor
1. Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: optical communications; machine vision technology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: space laser communication technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of optical communications has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years, driven by the ever-increasing demand for high-speed, reliable, and scalable communication infrastructure. This Special Issue delves into the latest research and innovations shaping the future of optical communications, encompassing a wide range of topics including next-generation optical transmission technologies, advanced modulation formats, photonic integrated circuits, and software-defined optical networks. Additionally, the Special Issue explores emerging trends such as the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning in network management, the development of quantum communication systems, and the role of optical networks in supporting 5G/6G wireless technologies. By bringing together cutting-edge research from academia and industry, this collection aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions of optical communication systems and networks, offering valuable insights for researchers, engineers, and practitioners in the field.

This Special Issue will cover a range of topics from the field, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Theoretical and experimental results of optical communications;
  • Power fluctuations or phase distortions caused by optical turbulence;
  • Adaptive optics and other turbulence mitigation techniques;
  • Free-space optics (FSO), visible light communications (VLC), fiber communications, and underwater optical communications;
  • Optical routing algorithms and networks;
  • Multiple access for optical terminals;
  • Relay technique;
  • Adaptive optics on optical communications;
  • Orbital angular momentum (OAM);
  • Security optical communications;
  • Prototype, experimental, and field trials.

Dr. Yatian Li
Prof. Dr. Zhiyong Wu
Prof. Dr. Shijie Gao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • free-space optics (FSO)
  • visible light communications (VLC)
  • fiber communications
  • optical switching and network
  • adaptive optics

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

23 pages, 1397 KB  
Review
Research Progress and Design Considerations of High-Speed Current-Mode Driver ICs
by Yinghao Chen, Yingmei Chen, Chenghao Wu and Jian Chen
Electronics 2026, 15(2), 405; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15020405 - 16 Jan 2026
Viewed by 244
Abstract
The current-mode logic (CML) driver has evolved alongside integrated circuit (IC) technology. Its typical structure contains a tail current source, differential amplifying transistors, and load resistors. It is widely used in modern optical transceivers and other serial link transceivers, and is compatible with [...] Read more.
The current-mode logic (CML) driver has evolved alongside integrated circuit (IC) technology. Its typical structure contains a tail current source, differential amplifying transistors, and load resistors. It is widely used in modern optical transceivers and other serial link transceivers, and is compatible with various processes, including CMOS, SiGe BiCMOS, and InP DHBT. The basic performance indicators of CML driver include gain, bandwidth, power, and total harmonic distortion (THD). For different application scenarios, different tail currents and load resistance are required. Nowadays, as the performance requirements for drivers in various applications continue to increase, more techniques need to be employed to balance high speed, high output amplitude, high linearity, and low power, such as bandwidth expansion techniques, linearity improvement techniques, and gain control techniques. In this review, the electrical characteristics of basic CML circuits are highlighted and compared with other interface level standards. The advancement of CML drivers is summarized. Emerging CML structures and performance enhancement technologies are introduced and analyzed. Design considerations are concluded in terms of the challenges faced by high-speed drivers. The review provides comparative study and comprehensive reference for designers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Communication Systems and Networks)
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