Decimal optical buffer based on an optical cross-point switch matrix

A novel decimal optical buffer based on a multi-loop configuration and an optical cross-point switch matrix is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Its variable delay range is of 1-999 times the basic delay unit. The buffer dynamic reconfiguration can be achieved in nanosecond switching speed. Experimental results show that a differential phase-shift keying payload and an ON-OFF keying payload can be processed in such a buffer for 9.1 mus with a penalty of 3.3 and 6.5 dB, respectively