3D elastic optical networking in the temporal, spectral, and spatial domains

Conventional elastic optical networking, EON, uses elasticity in two domains, time and frequency, to optimize utilization of optical network resources in the presence of fluctuating traffic demand and link quality. Currently, networking exploiting a third domain, space, is the focus of significant research efforts since space-division multiplexing, SDM, has the potential to substantially improve future network capacity and spectral efficiency. This article extends 2D-EON to include elasticity in all three domains: time, frequency, and space. We introduce enabling technologies, architectures, and algorithms for 3D-EONs. Based on sample network topologies, we investigate algorithms for routing, spectrum, spatial mode, and modulation format assignment - RSSMA. In particular, we investigate fragmentation-aware RSSMA and how the constraints in the formation of super-channels in MIMO-based SDM systems can impact the network performance in terms of blocking probability.