Optical Communication Networks: Challenges and Opportunities
A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editors
Interests: optical passive networks; optical signal processing; high-precision spectral control
Interests: optical fiber communication; digital signal processing
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Optical communication networks form the backbone of modern telecommunications, enabling high-speed data transmission over long distances with minimal loss. As demand for bandwidth-intensive applications (e.g., 5G, IoT, cloud computing, and AI) grows, optical networks face both challenges and opportunities to meet future requirements.
Optical communication networks must evolve to address growing bandwidth demands, security threats, and energy constraints. Innovations in AI, quantum communications, and integrated photonics present significant opportunities to overcome these challenges, ensuring scalable, efficient, and secure future networks. AI is revolutionizing optical networks by enabling smarter, more efficient, and self-optimizing systems. From predictive maintenance to adaptive modulation, AI-driven solutions enhance performance while reducing operational costs. AI will be indispensable in managing the complexity of optical networks as they evolve toward 6G, quantum communications, and space-division multiplexing.
This Special Issue will present an overview of cutting-edge research, including their aims, results, and applications. We invite the submission of broad, visionary contributions, including short research reports and collections of reviews of accomplishments. Topics include but are not limited to the following:
- AI and machine learning optimization;
- Integration with emerging technologies;
- Advanced modulation and multiplexing techniques;
- Network scalability and flexibility;
- Nonlinear compensation;
- Security vulnerabilities;
- Bandwidth and capacity improvement;
- Silicon photonics and integrated optics;
- Green optical networking.
Dr. Mengyue Shi
Dr. Zhengxuan Li
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- optical communication networks
- optical fiber communication
- digital signal processing
- optical passive networks
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