PhD Position in the project ICONIC: Increasing the Capacity of Optical NonlInear Channels 

Motivation
Optical fibres underpin our global information society and has experienced an astonishing evolution over the past four decades. Currently deployed commercial systems based on single-mode fibres can transmit data rates in excess of 10 Tb/s per fibre. Widely deployed for the global communications infrastructure, single-mode fibres currently carry more than 99% of the global Internet traffic and are a key component in the backbone networks for mobile telephony and the Internet. The continuation of this dramatic throughput growth has become constrained due to a power dependent nonlinear distortion in single mode fibres arising from a phenomenon known as the Kerr effect. The action of this nonlinear effect in combination with dispersion and noise is modelled using a stochastic partial nonlinear differential equation known as the Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation (NLSE). This will be the starting point for this project.

The ICONIC Project
In this project, we will answer different questions regarding information transmission through optical fibres. For example, what is the maximum amount of information that can be reliably transported by optical fibres? or how to design coded modulation systems that approach this limit? To answer these questions, we will first develop accurate channel models for the nonlinear optical channel in the high-power regime. Novel coded modulation transceivers tailored to the nonlinear optical channel will then be designed. In this project we will for example consider geometrical and probabilistic shaping, error control coding (FEC), coded modulation, maximum likelihood detection, mismatched decoding theory, nonlinear compensation techniques such as digital back-propagation and Volterra equalisers, and novel signaling techniques such as nonlinear Fourier transform and eigenvalue (soliton) communications.

Academic and Research Environment
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is one of Europe's top technological universities, situated in the heart of one of Europe's largest high-tech innovation ecosystems. Research at TU/e is characterized by a combination of academic excellence and a strong real-world impact. This impact is often obtained via close collaboration with high-tech industries. This exciting PhD project will be carried out at the signal processing systems (SPS) group but in close collaboration with the electro-optical communications (ECO) group as well as with industrial partners both groups collaborate with. The positions will include international short- and medium-term research visits to academic or industrial research institutions.

We are hiring 1 PhD student fully funded for 4 years. The candidate should be able bridge the distance between advanced fundamental concepts and theories on the one hand, and practical implementation and evaluation of these concepts on the other hand. They should be able to think out of the box, distinguish main lines from details, and provide structure to their work, have excellent multidisciplinary team working and communication skills, and be fluent in English. 

The candidate must have a strong MSc degree in signal processing, communications, or information theory. Affinity with optical communications is beneficial but not mandatory. Experience with the NLSE is desirable. Candidates with a degree in applied mathematics or nonlinear physics are also welcome to apply.