An optoelectronic packet switch utilizing fast wavelength tuning

The authors present a hybrid packet-switching-system architecture called Hypass that is based on integrated electronic and optical subsystems. The design uses multiwavelength optical interconnects with rapidly tunable transmitters and receivers. Experimental feasibility studies of the required optical devices are reported. Transmitter tuning time <5 ns are demonstrated using a double-section DFB (distributed feedback) laser randomly tuned among eight channels. Receiver tuning times of ≈1 ns are obtained using DFB optical amplifiers switched between two wavelength-multiplexed channels separated by 0.23 nm. The selection of 12-bit-long packets, switched between two wavelength-multiplexed channels, has been demonstrated, indicating that transient-response requirements for a packet-switch operating at 1.2 Gb/s can be realized with a bit error rate <10^-9