Full Professor (L. 240) 
Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET) 
 - Member of Interdepartmental Center Photonext - PoliTo Interdepartamental Center on Applied Photonics
 
Profile
Research interests
Biography
Andrea Carena graduated cum laude in Electronic Engineering in 1995 and earned his Ph.D. in Electronic and Communication Engineering in 1999, both from Politecnico di Torino. He is currently a Full Professor at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications. From September 1998 to September 1999, he was a Visiting Researcher in the Optical Communication and Photonic Network Group led by Prof. Blumenthal, first at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, and later at the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA, where he worked on topics related to optical packet-switched networks. In August 2022 he was Visiting Researcher at the Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering of the Technical University of Denmark. His research interests are in the field of physical layer design of optical communication systems: coherently detected systems, digital signal processing techniques for advanced modulation formats, digital nonlinearity mitigation, Nyquist-WDM for Terabit Super-channel implementation, modelling of non-linear fiber propagation, algorithm for computer simulation of fiber propagation, optimization of Raman amplification and study of intra-data center high-speed link based on VCSEL and MMF fibers. Andrea Carena has authored over 300 publications and is a Senior Member of the IEEE and OPTICA.
Scientific branch
(Area 0009 - Industrial and information engineering)
Skills
ERC sectors
SDG
Awards and Honors
- Fondo di finanziamento per le attività base di ricerca (FFABR) conferred by AGENZIA NAZIONALE DI VALUTAZIONE DEL SISTEMA UNIVERSITARIO E DELLA RICERCA, Italy (2017)
 
Editorial boards
- IEEE OPEN JOURNAL OF THE COMMUNICATIONS SOCIETY (2019-2025), Associate Editor of magazine or editorial series
 
Teaching
Collegi of the PhD programmes
-  INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI, 2024/2025 (40. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO -  INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI, 2023/2024 (39. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO -  INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI, 2022/2023 (38. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO -  INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI, 2021/2022 (37. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO 
Collegi of the degree programmes
Teachings
PhD
- Photonext: Hands on course on Photonics for Fiber Transmission. A.A. 2025/26, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Optical Transport Networks. A.A. 2025/26, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Optical Transport Networks. A.A. 2024/25, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Photonext: Hands on course on Photonics for Fiber Transmission. A.A. 2023/24, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Optical Transport Networks. A.A. 2023/24, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Optical Transport Networks. A.A. 2022/23, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Optical Transport Networks. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Photonext: Hands on course on Photonics for Fiber Transmission. A.A. 2020/21, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Optical Transport Networks. A.A. 2020/21, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Teaching assistant
 - Coherent detection: a revolution in optical communication. A.A. 2019/20, INGEGNERIA ELETTRICA, ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI. Main teacher
 
Master of Science
- Project: Software-defined communication systems. A.A. 2025/26, COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING. Titolare del corso
 - Project: Software-defined communication systems. A.A. 2024/25, COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING. Titolare del corso
 - Project: Software-defined communication systems. A.A. 2023/24, COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING. Titolare del corso
 - Project: Software-defined communication systems. A.A. 2022/23, COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING. Titolare del corso
 - Computer aided design of communication systems. A.A. 2022/23, INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA (ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING). Titolare del corso
 - Computer aided design of communication systems. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA (ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING). Titolare del corso
 - Optical communications and Wireless communications (modulo di Optical communications). A.A. 2021/22, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTER NETWORKS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA TELEMATICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Computer aided design of communication systems. A.A. 2020/21, INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA (ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING). Titolare del corso
 - Optical communications and Wireless communications (modulo di Optical communications). A.A. 2020/21, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTER NETWORKS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA TELEMATICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Optical communications and Wireless communications (modulo di Optical communications). A.A. 2019/20, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTER NETWORKS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA TELEMATICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Computer aided design of communication systems. A.A. 2019/20, INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA (ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING). Titolare del corso
 - Optical communications and Wireless communications (modulo di Optical communications). A.A. 2019/20, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTER NETWORKS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA TELEMATICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 
Bachelor of Science
- Signals and systems. A.A. 2025/26, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Digital transmission. A.A. 2025/26, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Signals and systems. A.A. 2024/25, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Digital transmission. A.A. 2024/25, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Signals and systems. A.A. 2023/24, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Digital transmission. A.A. 2023/24, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Signals and systems. A.A. 2022/23, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Digital transmission. A.A. 2022/23, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Collaboratore del corso
 - Digital communication laboratory. A.A. 2021/22, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Titolare del corso
 - Digital communication laboratory. A.A. 2020/21, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Titolare del corso
 - Digital communication laboratory. A.A. 2019/20, ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA ELETTRONICA E DELLE COMUNICAZIONI). Titolare del corso
 
Research
Research fields
Research groups
Research projects
Projects funded by competitive calls
-  SCIPIO - phaSe Change materIal Programmable Integrated Optics, (2024-2025) - Componente gruppo di Ricerca 
Corporate-funded and donor-funded research -  n/a - Performance Tradeoff Studies of Copropagating QKD and Classical Signals in WDM Optical Networks, (2023-2024) - Componente gruppo di Ricerca 
Non-EU international research -  FIRST - Fiber Infrastructure for Research on Space-Division Multiplexed Transmission, (2020-2024) - Responsabile Scientifico 
Nationally funded research - PRIN -  FLEX-ON - Flexible Optical Networks - Time Domain Hybrid QAM: DSP and Physical Layer Modelling, (2015-2017) - Responsabile Scientifico 
UE-funded research - H2020 - Excellent Science - Marie Curie -  EUROFOS-EUROPE'S EXPERTISE ON PHOTONIC SUB SYSTEM, (2008-2012) - Responsabile Scientifico 
UE-funded research - VII PQ - COOPERATION - ICT 
Projects funded by commercial contracts
-  IT-ROCS-Improving Transmission: Research on Optical Communication Systems, (2022-2023) - Responsabile Scientifico 
Commercial Research -  SMART LINKS Toward smarter optical communications links, (2018-2019) - Responsabile Scientifico 
Commercial Research -  ANALISI SIMULATIVA DELLE PRESTAZIONI DI UN TRANSCEIVER DPSK PER APPLICAZIONI A 40GB/S IN SISTEMI OTTICI ....., (2008-2009) - Responsabile Scientifico 
Commercial Research 
Supervised PhD students
-  Nestor Nicolas Henriquez Sepulveda. Programme in Intelligenza Artificiale (40th cycle, 2024-in progress) 
Research subject: Design of Advanced Silicon Photonics Components for Datacom
Generative models and Generative Adversarial Networks Generative models and Generative Adversarial Networks Generative models and Generative Adversarial Networks  - Teng Ma. Programme in Ingegneria Elettrica, Elettronica E Delle Comunicazioni (40th cycle, 2024-in progress)
 -  Andrea Marchisio. Programme in Ingegneria Elettrica, Elettronica E Delle Comunicazioni (38th cycle, 2022-in progress) 
Research subject: Advanced Studies in Photonic Integrated Circuits
Modeling, simulation and CAD Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems Photonic devices and solar cells Modeling, simulation and CAD Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems Photonic devices and solar cells Modeling, simulation and CAD Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems Photonic devices and solar cells  -  Lorenzo Tunesi. Programme in Ingegneria Elettrica, Elettronica E Delle Comunicazioni (37th cycle, 2021-2025) 
Thesis: Integrated Silicon Photonics Switches for Transparent Optical Networks
Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems Photonic devices and solar cells Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems Photonic devices and solar cells Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems Photonic devices and solar cells  -  Muhammad Umar Masood. Programme in Ingegneria Elettrica, Elettronica E Delle Comunicazioni (36th cycle, 2020-2024) 
Thesis: Scaling Optical Transport using Multi-band Photonic Integrated Switching Systems
Big Data, Machine Learning, Neural Networks and Data Science Communication and Computer Networks Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems Big Data, Machine Learning, Neural Networks and Data Science Communication and Computer Networks Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems Big Data, Machine Learning, Neural Networks and Data Science Communication and Computer Networks Optical and Wireless Digital Transmissions Systems  
Publications
Publications by type
PoliTO co-authors
Last years publications
Latest publications View all publications in Porto@Iris
-   Rosa Brusin, A. M.; Aquilino, F.; Pilori, D.; Nespola, A.; Forghieri, F.; Carena, A. (In stampa)
DMT vs PAM: an Experimental Comparison over VCSEL-MMF Links for Intra-Datacenter Connections. In: 51th European Conference on Optical Communication, ECOC 2025, Copenhagen (Denmark), 28 September - 2 October 2025, pp. 1-4. ISSN 2688-254X
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) -   Rosa Brusin, Ann Margareth; Pilori, Dario; Aquilino, Francesco; Forghieri, Fabrizio; ... (2025)
Comparing PAM and DMT for VCSELs-modulated Links over MMF. In: Advanced Photonics Congress (IPR, Networks, NOMA, SOLITH, SPPCom), Marseille (Fra), 13-17 July 2025, pp. 1-2. ISBN: 978-1-957171-51-7
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) -   Ma, Teng; Marchisio, Andrea; Da Ros, Francesco; Curri, Vittorio; Carena, Andrea; ... (2025)
Wideband operation of 3x3 Mach-Zehnder Interferometer mesh for programmable photonic computing. In: 2025 25th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON), Barcellona (Spa), 6-10 Luglio 2025
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) -   Lechiara, Antonio; Marchisio, Andrea; Shi, Bin; Wang, Yi; Carena, Andrea; Jiao, Yuqing; ... (2025)
Ultra-Compact Leaky ReLU Nonlinear Function on IMOS. In: European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC), Copenhagen (Dan), 28 settembre - 2 ottobre 2025
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) -   Rosa Brusin, Ann Margareth; Jiang, Yanchao; Poggiolini, Pierluigi; Carena, Andrea (2025)
Invited - Machine Learning for Accelerating Multi-band Optical Communication Systems Optimization. In: 2025 European Optical Society Annual Meeting, EOSAM 2025, Delft (Net), 24-28 August 2025, pp. 1-2. ISSN 2100-014X
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) 
Society and Enterprise
Patents and other intellectual properties
-  PROGRAMMABLE PHASE-CHANGE MATERIAL BASED CONTRA DIRECTIONAL ADD-DROP FILTER. 
Inventors: Paolo Bardella Andrea Carena Vittorio Curri Lorenzo Tunesi