Objectives

The concept of the proposed research combines two approaches that stand in multidisciplinary fields – physics and informatics – and embraces to two complementary types of research:

• basic research in nonlinear dynamics that characterize semiconductor lasers when they are coupled in complex network-type configurations, and
• exploitation of such network properties as innovative solutions in several open issues in the field of information technology and communications that utilize the established hardware infrastructure.

Specifically, the major objectives of the research proposal include:

• Theoretical and numerical investigation on the behavior of semiconductor lasers – in terms of emitted dynamics, signal complexity, synchronization potential and robustness – when participating in optically coupled networks.
• Identification of optimized system designs for various applications, taking into account the theoretical specifications as well as the experimental requirements for an efficient implementation.
• Implementation and evaluation of the different systems that are based on the concept of optically coupled laser networks and target on providing novel solutions in optical sensing, user authentication, communication security and cryptographic applications.