OFC ’23, or the Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition, is headed for San Diego in March

TECH: Spotlight on Quantum Networking

OFC '23 – also known as the 2023 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition – is coming to San Diego.

The popular event, a five-day technical conference and three-day floor show, will spotlight the latest research, developments and product debuts across the global optical networking and communications market.

This year, OFC will reconvene in a hybrid format with in-person and virtual components on March 5 through March 9 at the San Diego Convention Center.

Through three special sessions, three symposia, 11 workshops and 10 panel discussions on topics ranging from quantum networking to machine learning and AI, OFC's global perspective covers groundbreaking news driving the optical networking and data center optics niche.

Organizers report technical paper submissions for this year's conference increased significantly, returning to “pre-pandemic levels.”

“We're delighted to see the technical paper submissions on an upward trajectory, with numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels,” said OFC chairs Chris

Cole, Coherent Corp., Ramon Casellas, Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya, and Ming-Jun Li, Corning Incorporated in a joint statement issued along with a preview of this year's conference lineup.

“This increase [in technical papers] is a great indicator of the importance of OFC to the technical community driving the research and development to move the industry forward,” the chairs' joint statement also said. “And in addition to attendee favorites including, the Rump Session, Demo Zone and Lab Automation Hackathon, we are excited to offer several new events, including Mentor Match, Journal Reviewing Workshop and International Women's Day Breakfast.”

As the premier conference and exhibition for optical communications and networking professionals, OFC's plenary session will feature Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO at Vodafone Ghana; Jayshree V. Ullal, president and CEO at Arista; and Wendell P. Weeks, chairman and CEO of Corning Incorporated.

OFC's comprehensive technical programming – from research to marketplace, from components to systems and networks and from technical sessions to the exhibition—draws global attendees to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections and move the industry forward. “There is no other global optical communications and networking event that provides the breadth of content combined with exposure, thought leadership and the opportunity for our exhibitors and attendees to connect with qualified buyers and establish relationships,” the event co-chairs said.

This year's OFC features 11 workshops and ten panel discussions:

• The OFC workshops provide opportunities to discuss and debate the latest technologies, including smart pluggable coherent optics, fiber capacity, optical access, future quantum computing architectures, optics in space exploration, data center discussions on green options and killer applications, among other topics.

• The OFC panel discussions feature executives, technical experts, academia, media and analysts as they tackle the latest in 5G connectivity, virtualization in optical networks, LiDAR systems and technologies with integrated photonics, photonic AI accelerators, data center technologies and more.

OFC's business-focused show floor programming will take place March 7-9 and provide participants with an understanding of current market trends, new technologies and insight into the future of the industry. Encompassing three theaters, these programs – Market Watch, the Network Operator Summit, and the Data Center Summit – will address the state of the industry, the latest application topics, the inside perspective from service providers and network operators and emerging technologies for intra and/or inter data center connectivity. ■