Projects per year
Personal profile
Research profile
Nicola Calabretta is a Full Professor in Electro-Optical Communication Systems and Senior Research Fellow at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His expertise is in telecommunications engineering, electrical engineering and optical engineering. Nicola’s research focuses on smart optical datacom and telecom networks, optical signal processing for highly spectral efficient multi-level modulation formats, high-speed electronics for processing of novel labeling techniques, FPGA implementation of scheduling algorithms for low latency control of large port optical switches, optical interconnects, photonic integrated wavelength selector with flexible bandwidth, photonic integrated optical switches and c optical nodes for metro networks. Applications of the group’s work on fast optical switches include performance enhancement for optical metro/access networks and data center networks.
Academic background
Nicola Calabretta received his PhD from TU/e in 2004 for his work in all-optical signal processing and optical packet switching. Prior to this, he studied Telecommunications Engineering at the Politecnico di Torino. Before joining the TU/e, he conducted research at DTU Fotonik, the Department of Photonics Engineering at the technical University of Denmark, where he worked on Radio-over-Fiber. He completed a postdoc at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSA, Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant'Anna) in Pisa, Italy, focusing on wavelength division multiplexing, passive optical network and optical transmission systems employing advanced modulation formats.
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):
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SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Photonic integrated circuits and systems for sustainable and efficient photonic networks
Calabretta, N. (Project Manager), Vacancy PHD (Project member) & Akin, A. (Project member)
1/01/24 → 31/01/30
Project: Third tier
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ADAPTOR: Autonomous Distribution Architecture on Progressing Topologies and Optimization of Resources
Exarchakos, G. (Project Manager), Giannakopoulos, P. (Project member), Calabretta, N. (Project communication officer), Joshi, K. C. (Project communication officer) & Geng, R. (Project member)
1/09/21 → 31/05/28
Project: Second tier
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SmartTWO (2): Maverick Telecom Technologies as Building Blocks for Value Driven Future Societies' RVO kenmerk TKI1912P06
Calabretta, N. (Project Manager) & Freire Santana, H. (Project member)
2/10/19 → 31/12/25
Project: Third tier
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SmartTWO: Maverick Telecom Technologies as Building Blocks for Value Driven Future Societies'RVO kenmerk TKI1912P06Projectnummer 3.
Calabretta, N. (Project Manager), Khani, E. (Project member), Rasoulzadehzali, A. (Project member), Wang, Y. (Project member) & Matsumoto, R. (Project member)
2/10/19 → 31/12/25
Project: Third tier
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Wideband Optical Networks
Calabretta, N. (Project Manager), Wang, Y. (Project member), Calabretta, N. (Project communication officer) & Kraemer, R. (Project member)
1/01/19 → 30/06/23
Project: Research direct
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Novel Wavelength Distribution Nodes Based on Photonic Integrated EDWA and SOA-Based WSS for Metro-Access Networks
Xia, S. (Corresponding author), Osornio-Martinez, C. E., Bonneville, D. B., Albores-Mejia, A., Zheng, B., Matsumoto, R., Raz, O., García-Blanco, S. M. & Calabretta, N., 1 Feb 2026, In: Journal of Lightwave Technology. 44, 3, p. 1159-1166 8 p., 11272132.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
800Gbps/λ WDM Metro-Access Network by novel photonic integrated EDWA and SOA-based WSS Nodes
Xia, S. (Corresponding author), Osornio-Martinez, C. E., Bonneville, D. B., Zheng, B., Raz, O., García-Blanco, S. M. & Calabretta, N., 2025, Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) Postdeadline Papers 2025. Optica Publishing Group, 3 p. Th4C.4Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)47 Downloads (Pure) -
Adaptive Digital Compensation of Cascaded SOA Nonlinearities in Metro-Access Networks Without Prior Parameter Knowledge
Matsumoto, R., Xia, S., Hu, Z., Zheng, B., Suda, S. & Calabretta, N., 5 Dec 2025, 2025 European Conference on Optical Communications, ECOC 2025. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 4 p. 11262980Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)5 Downloads (Pure) -
Demonstration of a Dense O-Band 8×8 InP Monolithic Photonic Broadcast & Select Space Switch at 100 Gb/s PAM-4
Rombouts, M., Zali, A. R., Andreou, S., Augustin, L. & Calabretta, N., 19 Aug 2025, 2025 30th OptoElectronics and Communications Conference (OECC) and 2025 International Conference on Photonics in Switching and Computing (PSC). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 3 p. 11111018Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)59 Downloads (Pure) -
Densely Integrated Photonic 8×8 Broadcast & Select Space Switch for High-Capacity Interconnects
Rombouts, M. (Corresponding author), Rasoulzadehzali, A., Andreou, S., Augustin, L. M. & Calabretta, N., 15 Nov 2025, In: Journal of Lightwave Technology. 43, 22, p. 10079-10085 7 p., 11159602.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)118 Downloads (Pure)
Activities
- 1 Contributed talk
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5th International Symposium on Ultrafast Photonic Technologies (ISUPT2011), 15-16 Septmber 2011, Berlin
Calabretta, N. (Speaker)
15 Sept 2011Activity: Talk or presentation types › Contributed talk › Scientific
Courses
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AI compute clusters and datacenter networks
Calabretta, N., Yao, W. & Singh, S. 1/09/25 → 31/08/26
Course
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Optical fibre communication technology
Calabretta, N., Okonkwo, C. M. & Bradley, T. 1/09/15 → 31/08/26
Course
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Press/Media
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Eindhoven startup lands 'pre-seed' fund for PIC-based data centers
12/09/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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New Networks Study Findings Have Been Reported by Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (Parallel Photonic Convolutional Processing On-chip With Cross-connect Architecture and Cyclic Awgs)
Calabretta, N., Stabile, R. & Shi, B.
15/03/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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-Eindhoven University of Technology : How to build brain-inspired neural networks based on light
13/04/22
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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How to build brain-inspired neural networks based on light
12/04/22
4 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment