Of the various AONs, transparent-AONs have the greatest potential for use in large networks and internetworks because they permit dynamic reconfiguration of the network's communications paths. However, the wavelength conversion involved in reconfiguring discrete wavelength channels can only be practically achieved through electronic detection and remodulation of the transmitted signal, destroying the main advantage of AONs.
Researchers at the University of California have designed a switching network that circumvents the need for wavelength conversion and thus retains the advantages of an AON. By using a two-dimensional multi-wavelength array of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) as the transmitter, the transmitted signal can be optically encoded with a multi-wavelength "routing tag." This routing tag contains switching information and can be maintained separately from the data, making this network self-routing as well as optically transparent.
APPLICATIONS: This all-optical self-routing switching network contains numerous innovations on the network, system, and device levels and will advance the state of communications networks and optoelectronic technology.
ADVANTAGES:
REFERENCE: UC Case 93-372