Projects per year
Personal profile
Quote
Over 99% of all data generated will go through an optical fibre. Optical transmission systems form the foundation of the Internet and are slowly running out of capacity. We need a paradigm shift in how we design and test our systems to develop next-generation low-energy, robust and high capacity photonic networks
Research profile
Chigo Okonkwo is an Associate Professor leading the high capacity optical transmission laboratory of the Electro-Optical Communications Group at the Institute for Photonics Integration, TU/e. He currently works on two key areas: Firstly, he is working to maximise the capacity of presently deployed single-mode fibre systems by employing advanced-coded modulation schemes and Probabilistic/Geometrically shaped signals and low complexity digital signal processing. More importantly, he is working on future proof transmission systems based on Space Division Multiplexing, and developing the new optical components required to scale the capacity of the optical transmission systems towards Petabit/s transmission. This can be done by exploiting the various spatial channel of a multi-mode fibre or multi-core fibre.
Chigo’s research is also focused on the development of new measurement systems, and his work has led to a provisional patent and several critical publications in Nature Photonics, JLT and Optics Express. Since 2010, Chigo has built up a world-class high capacity optical transmission laboratory and collaborates with several industrial partners.
Academic background
Chigo Okonkwo graduated in 2002 with a Masters Honours degree in Telecommunications and Information systems at University of Essex, United Kingdom. After earning his PhD in Optical signal processing at the University of Essex, he joined COBRA TU/e as a Post-doctoral researcher in 2010. In that period, he worked on schemes and architectures for High Capacity In-Building and Dynamic Optical Access Networks within the EU ICT projects (ALPHA, POF-PLUS and EURO-FOS) and a joint research framework project with South Korean research organization ETRI. Since 2014, he is tenured at the Department of Electrical Engineering.
Between 2011 and 2015, Chigo worked on the EU project MODEGAP, and his research focuses on Ultra-high capacity space division multiplexed transmission systems. From advanced multi-dimensional modulation formats to the optical and digital signal processing schemes required for such systems. Since 2018, Chigo is a member of the Center for Quantum Materials and Technology (QT/e) working to advance the National agenda on Quantum secure communications.
Chigo is a Technical program committee member for European conference on optical communications (ECOC) since 2014. In 2018, he was the Sub Committee Chair for Digital Signal Processing track at ECOC and the General Chair for OSA Advanced photonics congress conference on signal processing for photonics. As a Senior Member of the professional organization IEEE, he serves as a reviewer and has (co)authored more than 200 publications in conferences and journals.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Electrical engineering, Doctor, Exploiting Optical Signal Processing in Future Optical Networks, University of Essex
1 Feb 2005 → 1 Feb 2009
Award Date: 10 May 2010
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Network
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NGF - Operational & Use-Cases MCS
Okonkwo, C. M., Hülsing, A. T. & Patterson, D.
1/09/21 → 31/12/28
Project: Research direct
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NGF - Integration ECO1
Okonkwo, C. M., Patterson, D., Fatkhiev, D., van der Heide, S. & Albores-Mejia, A.
1/09/21 → 31/12/28
Project: Research direct
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NGF - Protocols & Security [MCS]
Okonkwo, C. M., Škorić, B. & Patterson, D.
1/09/21 → 31/12/28
Project: Research direct
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NGF - Operational & Use-Cases
Okonkwo, C. M., Patterson, D. & Rommel, S.
1/09/21 → 31/12/28
Project: Research direct
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SmartTWO: Maverick Telecom Technologies as Building Blocks for Value Driven Future Societies'RVO kenmerk TKI1912P06
Okonkwo, C. M. & van den Hout, M.
2/10/19 → 31/12/25
Project: Research direct
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Introducing 4D Geometric Shell Shaping for Mitigating Nonlinear Interference Noise
Goossens, S., Gultekin, Y. C., Vassilieva, O., Kim, I., Palacharla, P., Okonkwo, C. & Alvarado, A., 15 Jan 2023, In: Journal of Lightwave Technology. 41, 2, p. 599-609 11 p., 9941172.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
2 Downloads (Pure) -
4D Geometric Shell Shaping with Applications to 400ZR
Goossens, S., Gültekin, Y. C., Vassilieva, O., Kim, I., Palacharla, P., Okonkwo, C. & Alvarado, A., 24 Jul 2022, Signal Processing in Photonic Communications, SPPCom 2022. Optica Publishing Group, 2 p. SpM2I.1Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
Alignment of Free-Space Coupling of Few-Mode Fibre to Multi-Mode Fibre using Digital Holography
van den Hout, M., van der Heide, S., Bradley, T., Velazquez-Benitez, A. M., Fontaine, N. K., Ryf, R., Chen, H., Mazur, M., Antonio-López, J. E., Alvarado-Zacarias, J. C., Amezcua-Correa, R., Bogot-Astruc, M., Amezcua-Correa, A., Sillard, P. & Okonkwo, C., 24 Jun 2022, In: arXiv. 2022, 4 p., 2208.02904.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic
Open AccessFile36 Downloads (Pure) -
Beyond 110 GHz uni-traveling carrier photodiodes on an InP-membrane-on-silicon platform
Graaf, J. D., Zhao, X., Konstantinou, D., van den Hout, M., Reniers, S., Shen, L., van der Heide, S., Rommel, S., Tafur Monroy, I., Okonkwo, C. M., Cao, Z., Koonen, T., Williams, K. & Jiao, Y., 1 Mar 2022, In: IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics. 28, 2, 10 p., 3802010.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)261 Downloads (Pure) -
Design, Characterisation, and Demonstration of a Hot-Air-Based Optical Turbulence Generator
van Vliet, V., van den Hout, M., van der Heide, S. & Okonkwo, C. M., Nov 2022, Proceedings of the 26th Annual Symposium of the IEEE Photonics Benelux Chapter. Eindhoven, 4 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile32 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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Asia Communications and Photonics Conference(ACP) 2018 Best Paper Award
Chen, Bin (Recipient), Lei, Yi (Recipient), Lavery, Domaniç (Recipient), Okonkwo, Chigo M. (Recipient) & Alvarado, Alex (Recipient), 28 Nov 2018
Prize: Other › Career, activity or publication related prizes (lifetime, best paper, poster etc.) › Scientific
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European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC) 2018 Student Paper Award
van der Heide, Sjoerd (Recipient), van Weerdenburg, J.J.A. (Recipient) & Okonkwo, Chigo M. (Recipient), 27 Sept 2018
Prize: Other › Career, activity or publication related prizes (lifetime, best paper, poster etc.) › Scientific
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Optica Student Paper Award (2022 Optica Advanced Photonics Congres)
van Vliet, Vincent (Recipient), van der Heide, Sjoerd (Recipient), van den Hout, Menno (Recipient) & Okonkwo, Chigo M. (Recipient), 28 Jul 2022
Prize: Other › Career, activity or publication related prizes (lifetime, best paper, poster etc.) › Scientific
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Optica Student Paper Award (SPPCom 2022)
Goossens, Sebastiaan (Recipient), Gültekin, Yunus Can (Recipient), Vassilieva, Olga (Recipient), Kim, Inwoong (Recipient), Palacharla, Paparao (Recipient), Okonkwo, Chigo M. (Recipient) & Alvarado, Alex (Recipient), 28 Jul 2022
Prize: Other › Career, activity or publication related prizes (lifetime, best paper, poster etc.) › Scientific
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Optoelectronics and Communications Conference (OECC 2019) Best Paper Award
van der Heide, Sjoerd (Recipient), Chen, Bin (Recipient), van den Hout, Menno (Recipient), Liga, Gabriele (Recipient), Koonen, A.M.J. (Ton) (Recipient), Hafermann, Hartmut (Recipient), Alvarado, Alex (Recipient) & Okonkwo, Chigo M. (Recipient), Jul 2019
Prize: Other › Career, activity or publication related prizes (lifetime, best paper, poster etc.) › Scientific
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A.M. Velázquez-Benítez
Chigo Okonkwo (Host)
6 Oct 2018Activity: Hosting a visitor types › Hosting an academic visitor › Scientific
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Towards Higher Density Space Division Multiplexed Transmission Systems
Chigo Okonkwo (Speaker)
21 Nov 2015Activity: Talk or presentation types › Contributed talk › Scientific
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High density space division multiplexed transmission systems
Chigo Okonkwo (Speaker)
13 May 2015Activity: Talk or presentation types › Contributed talk › Scientific
Courses
Press/Media
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Launch of Quantumtech building and National Growth Funds at TU/e
14/06/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Photonic Integration and Transmission Systems for the Future Internet
30/01/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Hoe machtig zijn Nature en Science?
4/11/14
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Meer glasvezel per kabel, dankzij handige gaatjes
30/10/14
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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255 Terabits/s: Researchers demonstrate record data transmission over new type of fiber
27/10/14
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities