The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Divisions of Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS) and Bioengineering and Environmental Systems (BES) of the Engineering Directorate and the Divisions of Advanced Networking Infrastructure and Research (ANIR) and Computer-Communications Research (C-CR) of the Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering announce an Initiative on Ultra-High Capacity Optical Communications and Networking. This focused initiative seeks high-risk/high-return proposals of novel concepts in photonic devices, fiber communication systems and advanced networks. The emphasis will be on enabling technologies critical to the continued growth of high-capacity optical communications and networking systems into the next decade. DARPA plans to participate in the reviews and identify proposals of mutual interest and may provide co-funding for programs of high quality that meet their programatic and relevancy requirements. The reviews and panels will be conducted by NSF, utilizing the NSF merit review process. All awards will be made by NSF, and will be subject to NSF terms and conditions.

It is envisioned that research will be carried out by single investigators, or small interdisciplinary groups that generate new concepts and approaches stimulated by the interaction of diverse disciplines. Proposals offering incremental advances of existing technologies are discouraged. Research should focus on critical enabling technologies for long-term growth. Such research might include concepts for all-optical networking, novel technologies for significantly increasing the optical fiber communications bandwidth, schemes to achieve higher spectral efficiency, the optical-wireless interface, and new networking paradigms accounting for both higher usage rates and the impact of the optical communications medium on higher layer protocols.

For the full text of the initiative, visit the following: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf0165