Building the future of optical fibre communications

Supervisory Team: Professor Periklis Petropoulos, Dr Kyle Bottrill and Dr Hao Liu

Optical fibre networks power all aspects of modern digital life, enabling AI applications and advanced wireless systems. This project explores the evolution of fibre infrastructure, using cutting-edge technologies to experimentally demonstrate emerging capabilities, paving the way for future high-performance networks that meet the demands of an increasingly connected world.

The emergence of new demands on our communication networks, stemming from emerging AI services, a proliferating mobile network infrastructure and quantum technologies, creates new challenges in optical communications. As transmission rates in optical networks constantly increase, and with the concerns over the energy consumption of communication networks becoming ever more relevant, there is a compelling argument for adopting new techniques for the implementation of signal processing of communication signals. Moreover, the rise in demand for internet traffic is such that necessitates the adoption of new transmission techniques in order to ensure that the available bandwidth is sufficient.

The Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) investigates technologies that address these challenges. You'll have the opportunity to work with new fibre types, combine them with state-of-the-art devices and identify their potential for applications. Topics of specific interest include:

• generation and manipulation of new frequencies
• use of novel modulation formats in transmission systems
• resilience and reduction in the energy consumption of optical transmission
• introduction of new optical transmission bands
• nonlinear optical processing for computing and communications applications.

This project will benefit from established collaborations with other UK and European institutions. It is associated with significant national research initiatives, including the EPSRC Federated Telecommunications Hub (a multi-partner national project that links communications research in the UK).

This is a predominantly experimental project that makes use of the strong facilities of the telecommunication systems laboratory of the ORC. These include full electronic and optical signal generation and diagnostic capabilities at state-of-the-art frequencies (up to 110 GHz), equipment enabling experimentation over new wavelengths for communications, and a direct connection to an installed fibre transmission line originating from the lab, linking the ORC to other collaborating laboratories across the UK (the UK’s NDFF).

You'll gain hands-on experience in handling and splicing optical fibre, and in building fibre-optic communication systems using lasers, modulators, photodetectors and state-of-the-art equipment, such as arbitrary waveform generators and real-time oscilloscopes. You'll gain expertise in system-level experimentation, focusing on evaluating the performance and potential of individual components. You'll also participate in cross-institutional project meetings, with opportunities to present your work to wider audiences.

Entry requirements

You must have a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

Fees and funding

Full scholarships include tuition fees, a stipend at the UKRI rate plus 10% ORC enhancement tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years (totalling £22,858 for 2025/26, rising annually) and a budget of £4200 for things like conference travel.

UK, EU and Horizon Europe students are eligible for scholarships. CSC students are eligible for fee waivers. Funding for other international applicants is very limited and highly competitive. Overseas students who have secured or are seeking external funding are welcome to apply.

For more information, please visit our postgraduate research funding pages.

How to apply

Apply now

You need to:

• choose programme type (Research), 2026/27, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
• select Full time or Part time
• search for programme PhD ORC (7097)
• add name of the supervisor in section 2 of the application

Applications should include:

• your CV (resumé)
• 2 academic references
• degree transcripts and certificates to date
• English language qualification (if applicable)