Session 12 overview - optical communications

Communication using light signals over optical fiber holds great promise to lower costs for all data transport over both short and long distances. The huge bandwidth and favorable physical characteristics of optical fiber beg to be exploited: In telecom networks, transmitting high-data-rate signals over long distances becomes practical; In computer systems, high-capacity interconnect, free from electromagnetic interference and awkward bulky copper cables, is enabled by parallel optics. But, of course, practical details limit cost-effective commercial solutions. In this session, several advances in the practical art of sending and receiving optical signals, are presented. Inevitably, such advances will lead to exciting new cost-effective telecom services and higher-performance computer systems. The papers in this session are briefly summarized.