PhD vacany at the Eindhoven University of Technology.

The Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e) has a vacancy for 1 PhD student Multi-level Coding in Optical Access Networks (V36.327) at Department of Electrical Engineering.

The Department of Electrical Engineering concerns the research and education of the Electrical Engineering discipline. Electrical Engineering covers the application of electrical phenomena with respect to telecommunication, to capturing, processing and presentation of information, to energy transfer, and to the technologies involved. Both hardware, in the form of electrical and optical devices and subsystems, and software, in the form of system software for control and analysis of electro-technical applications, are studied. Existing and new electrical and optical components and systems are analyzed, designed and realized. In addition, the relevance for society is the subject of research, addressing topics such as user friendliness, sustainability, and environmental impact. The vacant Ph.D. student position is in the Electro-Optical Communication Systems (ECO) group, part of the COBRA Research Institute, in the Department of Electrical Engineering of Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands. In the ECO group, research is done in the area of optical fiber communication networks and their supporting techniques, ranging from ultra-high capacity long distance transport and ultra-fast optical signal processing, to optical fiber techniques for providing broadband services to the user in access networks and in-home networks.

The project

The scope of the MEMPHIS project is research and development for creating an integrated electronic-photonic technology platform using silicon and indium-phosphide materials for high-speed nano-scale structures. This technology platform leads to 1) a fundamental cost-effective and high-performance electronic-photonic technology, 2) the development of novel miniaturized broadband electronic-photonic devices, 3) optimal integral production processes, including 4) design tools, simulation and fast-nanophotonic prototyping. This platform is targeting a wide range of applications in areas such as telecommunication, medical diagnostics, imaging, and light generation. A very important challenging issue is to obtain a complete supply chain solution. The guidelines for the R&D activities in the project will aim for creating demonstrators of future-driven applications, starting from the definition of applications, deriving the new technologies needed, the development of design principles, generating demonstrator products and developing the necessary production processes. Within the application domain of the MEMPHIS project, we propose a hybrid time-/wavelength-multiplexed passive optical network for customer access. In this TDM-WDM PON system concept, multiple wavelength channels are serving subsets of the users, where within a subset each user can share the capacity of a wavelength channel by means of TDM. Dynamic assignment of the wavelength channels can offer a capacity per user according to his actual traffic needs. In a TDM scheme, the data are sent in time-interleaved packets, destined for (or coming from) the individual ONUs. Obviously, the congestion probability can be reduced by shortening the duration of the packets. This can be achieved by packing more information in a single line symbol: e.g. by multi-level coding. Additionally, this reduces the line rate for a given information transport capacity, hence putting reduced speed requirements on the line termination circuitry. The ONUs therefore can be realized with lower-speed electro-optical and electronic circuitry, which reduces their costs and eases packaging and mass manufacturing. Hence data rates exceeding 1 Gbit/s per ONU (and possibly towards 10 Gbit/s) may be achievable at moderate line rates.

Tasks

In the MEMPHIS project, the task for the PhD student in the ECO group will be to analyse different approaches for multi-level coding (phase, amplitude, or a suitable mix) and to select and explore the most promising approach for application in a dynamic hybrid TDM-WDM PON in terms of spectral efficiency and bit error ratio performance. The assignment will encompass system analysis supported by simulations as well as experimental validation in a system test bed. The PhD-student will closely cooperate with project partners from universities and industry.

Requirements

Candidates for this challenging project should have a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering or in Applied Physics. He/she should have a strong affinity with optical and data communication techniques, and preferably some hands-on experience with optical fiber systems and electronic circuits.

Appointment and Salary

The appointment is for four years. As an employee of the university you will receive a competitive salary as well as excellent secondary benefits (holiday allowance, etc.). The research in this project must be concluded with the attainment of a Ph.D. degree. A salary is offered starting at Euro 1956,00 per month (gross) in the first year and increasing up to Euro 2502,00 per month (gross) in the last year. Moreover 8% bonus share (holiday supplement) is provided annually. Assistance for finding accommodation can be given. Information. For further information on these vacancy you can contact dr. Huug de Waardt (h.d.waardt@tue.nl, tel. +31 40 2474007) or prof. Ton Koonen ( a.m.j.koonen@tue.nl , tel. +31 40 2474806) For information concerning employment conditions you can contact Ms. F. Verheggen, personnel officer f.verheggen@tue.nl , tel. +31 40 2474796).

Application

If you are interested in this Ph.D. position, please send a detailed curriculum vitae, an explanation of your interest in the proposed research topic, a publication list, your course program and corresponding grades, references and all other information that might be relevant to your application to the address below, mentioning vacancy number V36.327. Dr. H. de Waardt ECO group, COBRA Research Institute Dept. Electrical Engineering (PT 12.28 ) Eindhoven University of Technology P.O. Box 513 NL 5600 MB Eindhoven The Netherlands You can apply fo