A transparent WDM network featuring shared virtual rings

Author

Iannone, P.P. ; Reichmann, K.C. ; Smiljanic, A. ; Frigo, N.J. ; Gnauck, A.H. ; Spiekman, L.H. ; Derosier, R.M.

Author_Institution

AT&T Labs.-Res., Red Bank, NJ, USA

Volume

18

Issue

12

fYear

2000

fDate

12/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1955

Lastpage

1963

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate a transparent wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) metro ring architecture in which optics enables simultaneous provisioning of dedicated wavelengths for high-end users, while low-end users share wavelengths on "virtual rings". All wavelengths are sourced by the network and remotely modulated at customer end stations (ES) by low-cost semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs), which also serve as transmission amplifiers. Measured bit error rate (BER) data for three different ring configurations show negligible power penalties associated with upstream transmission around a 120-km 3-mode ring through as many as four cascaded SOA/modulators. Preliminary tests indicate that the SOAs are suitable modulators for packet transmission over the network.

Keywords

electro-optical modulation; optical fibre networks; semiconductor optical amplifiers; transparency; wavelength division multiplexing; 120 km; 3-mode ring; cascaded SOA/modulators; customer end stations; high-end users; low-cost semiconductor optical amplifiers; low-end users; measured bit error rate; packet transmission; remotely modulated; ring configurations; shared virtual rings; transmission amplifiers; transparent WDM metro ring architecture; transparent WDM network; upstream transmission; wavelength division multiplexing; Bit error rate; Costs; IP networks; Optical fiber networks; Optical modulation; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission; Telecommunication traffic; WDM networks; Wavelength division multiplexing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.908802

Filename

908802