Aluvia Photonics and Nokia Bell Labs Commence Joint Evaluation of Optical Amplifiers for Coherent Communication
ENSCHEDE, The Netherlands – April 2nd, 2025 – Aluvia Photonics and Nokia Bell Labs have commenced a joint evaluation program to qualify the use of Aluvia’s Erbium- Doped Waveguide Amplifiers (EDWAs) in coherent communication systems.
EDWAs offer a promising path to on-chip integrated amplification, meeting the growing demand for efficient signal power management in coherent communication networks. As bandwidth requirements continue to rise, scalable, high-performance optical amplifiers are essential for next-generation connectivity. Aluvia has recently demonstrated R&D prototypes of its on-chip EDWAs, delivering signal gain and noise
performance on par with existing EDFA solutions and marking a step toward real-world adoption.
“The expansion of bandwidth is pushing optical networks to their limits, making high-performance, volume-scalable amplification increasingly crucial,” said Theodore Sizer, Head of Optical Systems and Device Research Lab at Nokia Bell Labs. “We are keen to evaluate Aluvia’s EDWAs and their ability to deliver efficient signal boosting while enabling tighter photonic integration. If successful, such amplifiers could provide new flexibility in the design of future coherent transceivers.”
“We are entering a phase where integrated optical amplification is moving from research labs to global networks,” said Prof. Sonia M. García Blanco, co-founder and CSO of Aluvia Photonics. “We’re excited to collaborate with an industry leader like Nokia Bell Labs. This partnership marks a major milestone in the journey to commercialize EDWAs and bring their benefits to millions of users who rely on ever-faster, more efficient connectivity” added Steve Stoffels, CEO of Aluvia Photonics.
The new evaluation program will involve a comprehensive series of tests and optimizations, focusing on EDWA design and manufacturing processes to ensure the amplifiers meet the precise performance standards of industrial roadmaps for coherent communications.
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About Aluvia Photonics
Founded in November 2022 as a spin-off from the Integrated Optical Systems group of the University of Twente, Aluvia Photonics leverages over a decade of photonics R&D to deliver cutting-edge integrated solutions. The company specializes in AlOx-based PIC technologies, enabling breakthrough performance for applications across telecom, datacom/AI, quantum, and beyond.