1.25 Gbit/s bidirectional link in an access network employing a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer and a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier

In this paper, we demonstrate symmetrical bidirectional transmission of 1.25 Gbit/s wavelength channels in an access network link employing centralized light generation, colourless optical network unit (ONU) and a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM). The architecture of ONU is based on a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA). The ROADM is constructed with thermally tuned micro-ring resonators. We present the results of transmission experiments and switching time measurement, which prove the concept of a transparent link with flexible bandwidth on-demand provision using cost-efficient elements.