All-optical wavelength-routing switch with monolithically integrated filter-free tunable wavelength converters and an AWG.
We present a compact 4x8 wavelength-routing switch that monolithically integrates fast tunable wavelength converters (TWCs) and an arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG) for optical packet switching. The TWC consists of a double-ring-resonator-coupled tunable laser which allows rapid and stable switching, and an optical gate based on a parallel amplifier structure which prevents an input optical signal from being routed through the AWG (filter-free operation). A deep-ridge waveguide technology, employed for the AWG and ring resonators, facilitates the fabrication of the switch and makes the device compact. The filter-free TWCs achieve low crosstalk of the input optical signal of less than -22 dB. The wavelength routing operation of a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) signal at 10 Gbit/s is achieved with a switching time of less than 5 ns.
Segawa
Toru
T
NTT Photonics Laboratories, NTT Corporation, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0198, Japan. segawa@aecl.ntt.co.jp
Matsuo
Shinji
S
Kakitsuka
Takaaki
T
Shibata
Yasuo
Y
Sato
Tomonari
T
Kawaguchi
Yoshihiro
Y
Kondo
Yasuhiro
Y
Takahashi
Ryo
R