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Telecom
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Optical Communication and Networking
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Optical Communication and Networking

A special issue of Telecom (ISSN 2673-4001).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 7309

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yatian Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
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
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical communication consists of optical wireless communications and fiber communications, both of which have the advantages of high bandwidth, low cost, and large transmission capacity. Therefore, it has a lot of commercial, military, and scientific applications. Specifically, optical wireless communications are considered to be one of the solutions to the next generation of wireless communication problems and they can meet growing communication needs. Recently, the focus of research has gradually expanded from point-to-point systems to multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) or networks. Therefore, our Special Issue, entitled "Optical Communication and Networking", has been established. This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research in the field of optical communication and networks. Both theoretical advancements and practical applications are welcome.

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

  • Free Space Optics (FSO), Visible Light Communications (VLC), Fiber Communications, and Underwater Optical Communications;
  • Optical MIMO Communications;
  • Routing algorithms and networks;
  • Mutiple access for optical terminals
  • Relay technique;
  • Adaptive optics on optical communications;
  • Orbital angular momentum (OAM);
  • Security optical communications;
  • Theoretical analysis or simulations, such as BER, channel capacity, outage probability, and throughput;
  • Prototype, experimental, and field trials;

Dr. Yatian Li
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Telecom is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 1200 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 communications
  • routing
  • network
  • relay

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 8395 KB  
Article
Design and Performance Insights in Backbone Node Upgrades: From Single-Band WSS to UWB-Based Flex-WBSS Solutions
by Charalampos Papapavlou, Konstantinos Paximadis, Dan M. Marom and Ioannis Tomkos
Telecom 2025, 6(4), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/telecom6040093 - 4 Dec 2025
Viewed by 256
Abstract
Emerging services such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud data services and teleworking are growing exponentially, pushing bandwidth needs to the limit. Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) in the spatial domain, along with Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) transmission in the [...] Read more.
Emerging services such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud data services and teleworking are growing exponentially, pushing bandwidth needs to the limit. Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) in the spatial domain, along with Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) transmission in the spectrum domain, represent two degrees of freedom that will play a crucial role in the evolution of backbone optical networks. SDM and UWB technologies necessitate the replacement of conventional Wavelength-Selective-Switch (WSS)-based architectures with innovative optical switching elements capable of handling both higher port counts and flexible switching across various granularities. In this work, we introduce a novel Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC)-based switching element called flex-Waveband Selective Switch (WBSS), designed to provide flexible band switching across the UWB spectrum (~21 THz). The proposed flex-WBSS supports a hierarchical three-layered Multi-Granular Optical Node (MG-ON) architecture incorporating optical switching across various granularities ranging from entire fibers and flexibly defined bands down to individual wavelengths. To evaluate its performance, we develop a custom network simulator, enabling a thorough performance analysis on the critical performance metrics of the node. Simulations are conducted over an existing network topology evaluating three traffic-oriented switching policies: Full Fiber Switching (FFS), Waveband Switching (WBS) and Wavelength Switching (WS). Simulation results reveal high Optical-to-Signal Ratio (OSNR) and low Bit Error Rate (BER) values, particularly under the FFS policy. In contrast, the integration of the WBS policy bridges the gap between existing WSS- and future FFS-based architectures and manages to mitigate capacity bottlenecks, enabling rapid scalable network upgrades in existing infrastructures. Additionally, we propose a probabilistic framework to evaluate the node’s bandwidth utilization and scaling behavior, exploring trade-offs among scalability, component numbers and complexity. The proposed framework can be easily adapted for the design of future transport optical networks. Finally, we perform a SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power and Cost) analysis. Results show that our novel MG-ON achieves strong performance, reaching a throughput exceeding 10 Pb/s with high OSNR values ≈14–20 dB and BER ≈10−9 especially under the FFS policy. Moreover, it delivers up to 7.5× cost reduction compared to alternative architectures, significantly reducing deployment/upgrade costs while maintaining low power consumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Communication and Networking)
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24 pages, 12603 KB  
Article
Dispersive Optical Gap Soliton Perturbation with Multiplicative White Noise
by Elsayed M. E. Zayed, Mona El-Shater, Ahmed H. Arnous, Seithuti P. Moshokoa and Anjan Biswas
Telecom 2025, 6(4), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/telecom6040090 - 21 Nov 2025
Viewed by 347
Abstract
This paper recovers dispersive gap solitons with the Kerr law of self-phase modulation and dispersive reflectivity. The enhanced direct algebraic method and the modified version of the sub-ODE approach have collectively made this retrieval possible. The intermediary solutions are the double-periodic functions that [...] Read more.
This paper recovers dispersive gap solitons with the Kerr law of self-phase modulation and dispersive reflectivity. The enhanced direct algebraic method and the modified version of the sub-ODE approach have collectively made this retrieval possible. The intermediary solutions are the double-periodic functions that yielded the soliton solutions when the modulus of ellipticity approached unity. The Weierstrass elliptic function is the other form of intermediary function recovered from the model that also yielded soliton solutions as its special case. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Communication and Networking)
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14 pages, 1366 KB  
Article
Highly Dispersive Optical Soliton Perturbation for Complex Ginzburg–Landau Equation, Implementing Three Forms of Self-Phase Modulation Structures with Power Law via Semi-Inverse Variation
by Anjan Biswas, Russell W. Kohl, Milisha Hart-Simmons and Oswaldo González-Gaxiola
Telecom 2025, 6(3), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/telecom6030068 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 775
Abstract
This paper provides highly dispersive optical soliton solutions to the perturbed complex Ginzburg–Landau equation. The self-phase modulation structures are maintained in three forms, which are derived from the power law of nonlinearity with arbitrary intensity. The paper employs the semi-inverse variational principle as [...] Read more.
This paper provides highly dispersive optical soliton solutions to the perturbed complex Ginzburg–Landau equation. The self-phase modulation structures are maintained in three forms, which are derived from the power law of nonlinearity with arbitrary intensity. The paper employs the semi-inverse variational principle as its integration scheme, as conventional methods are incapable for it. The amplitude–width relation of the solitons is reconstructed by employing Cardano’s method to solve a cubic polynomial equation. Also presented are the necessary parameter constraints that naturally arise from the scheme. These findings enhance our understanding of soliton dynamics and pave the way for further research into more complex nonlinear systems. Future studies may explore the implications of these results in various physical contexts, potentially leading to novel applications in fields such as fiber optics and quantum fluid dynamics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Communication and Networking)
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17 pages, 1738 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Optimal Visible Wavelengths for Free-Space Optical Communications
by Modar Dayoub and Hussein Taha
Telecom 2025, 6(3), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/telecom6030057 - 4 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1447
Abstract
Free-space optical (FSO) communications have emerged as a promising complement to conventional radio-frequency (RF) systems due to their high bandwidth, low interference, and license-free spectrum. Visible-light FSO communication, using laser diodes or LEDs, offers potential for short-range data links, but performance is highly [...] Read more.
Free-space optical (FSO) communications have emerged as a promising complement to conventional radio-frequency (RF) systems due to their high bandwidth, low interference, and license-free spectrum. Visible-light FSO communication, using laser diodes or LEDs, offers potential for short-range data links, but performance is highly wavelength-dependent under varying atmospheric conditions. This study presents an experimental evaluation of three visible laser diodes at 650 nm (red), 532 nm (green), and 405 nm (violet), focusing on their optical output power, quantum efficiency, and modulation behavior across a range of driving currents and frequencies. A custom laboratory testbed was developed using an Atmega328p microcontroller and a Visual Basic control interface, allowing precise control of current and modulation frequency. A silicon photovoltaic cell was employed as the optical receiver and energy harvester. The results demonstrate that the 650 nm red laser consistently delivers the highest quantum efficiency and optical output, with stable performance across electrical and modulation parameters. These findings support the selection of 650 nm as the most energy-efficient and versatile wavelength for short-range, cost-effective visible-light FSO communication. This work provides experimentally grounded insights to guide wavelength selection in the development of energy-efficient optical wireless systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Communication and Networking)
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19 pages, 10147 KB  
Article
Transmitters and Receivers for High Capacity Indoor Optical Wireless Communication
by Mikolaj Wolny, Eduardo Muller and Eduward Tangdiongga
Telecom 2025, 6(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/telecom6020026 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 3369
Abstract
In this paper, we present recent advancements in transmitter and receiver technologies for Optical Wireless Communication (OWC). OWC offers very wide license-free optical spectrum which enables very high capacity transmission. Additionally, beam-steered OWC is more power-efficient and more secure due to low divergence [...] Read more.
In this paper, we present recent advancements in transmitter and receiver technologies for Optical Wireless Communication (OWC). OWC offers very wide license-free optical spectrum which enables very high capacity transmission. Additionally, beam-steered OWC is more power-efficient and more secure due to low divergence of light. One of the main challenges of OWC is wide angle transmission and reception because law of conservation of etendue restricts maximization of both aperture and field of view (FoV). On the transmitter side, we use Micro Electro-Mechanical System cantilevers activated by piezoelectric actuators together with silicon micro-lenses for narrow laser beam steering. Such design allowed us to experimentally demonstrate at least 10 Gbps transmission over 100° full angle FoV. On the receiver side, we show the use of photodiode array, and Indium-Phosphide Membrane on Silicon (IMOS) Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) with surface grating coupler (SGC) and array of SGC. We demonstrate FoV greater than 32° and 16 Gbps reception with photodiode array. PIC receiver allowed to receive 100 Gbps WDM with single SGC, and 10 Gbps with an array of SGC which had 8° FoV in the vertical angle and full FoV in the horizontal angle. Our results suggest that solutions presented here are scalable in throughputs and can be adopted for future indoor high-capacity OWC systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Communication and Networking)
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