Photonics-oriented data transmission network for the KM3NeT prototype detector

The design of the readout and data acquisition system of the future KM3NeT neutrino telescope employs 10 Gbps photonic technologies for data transmission to shore. The photonic architecture can handle standard transmission protocols. The generic scheme is based on DWDM technology using lasers on shore and optical modulators in each of the 12,800 Digital Optical Modules arranged on several hundred vertical detection units anchored to the seabed. Each module will house 31 photomultipliers together with auxiliary instrumentation and readout electronics. A 100 km electro-optical fibre cable will connect the optical modules to the store. The readout system will guarantee an individual optical connection between each optical module and the shore. A small-scale prototype of a detection unit with four optical modules is in a realization phase and will allow for in situ testing of the data transmission network. We will present results of laboratory tests of the photonics-oriented transmission layer of the network that have been realized for the prototype detection unit.