Capacity demand and technology challenges for lightwave systems in the next two decades

Ten to 20 years from now, optical networks will have to carry vastly increased amounts of Internet traffic. Today's knowledge (2006) already points to ultimate technology limits in the physical layer, foretelling the end of the so-called Optical Moore's Law. Such an observation is discordant with the generic and optimistic view of a virtually infinite optical bandwidth combined with unlimited Internet-traffic growth. In order to meet long-term needs and challenges, therefore, basic research in wide-band optical components and subsystems must be urgently revived today.