<p>The Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institut (HHI) is working on the further development of passive optical networks (PON) in the PONTROSA project to promote fiber optic expansion and explore new applications for the technology. The institute, together with project partners, will develop new electronic and optical subsystems to significantly increase the transmission capacity of future PONs. The project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with 3.8 million euros, will run for three years until September 2027.</p><p>Passive optical networks (PON) have become prevalent over active optical networks (AON) for their cost-effectiveness and simplicity. However, to meet future demands and new application areas, such as connecting data centers and distributed mobile stations, the achievable data rates need to be significantly expanded.</p><p>The project team will design, fabricate, and integrate optimized electronic and photonic integrated circuits into a complete system. The researchers will also analyze the requirements for digital signal processing and develop appropriate methods.</p>