Ultrafast all-optical shift register and its perspective application for optical fast packet switching

SEED (self-electrooptic effect device) configuration, symmetric-(S) SEED switching characteristics, a single all-optical memory cell, and the packet switch structure are briefly introduced. By applying a planar integrated optical circuit based on SEEDs, the demonstration of an all-optical memory cell, which can be used in optical switching and optical data storing is introduced by using master-slave integrated configuration of SEEDs. The system structure, the switching performance, and the dependence of the switching speed are discussed. Based on these performance analyzes, some improved schemes are presented. By applying a pair of external preset pulses and integration of inductors, the SEED's devices even can provide 50 Gb/s throughput with data power of 1 mW, this is very competitive for optical communication. Based on these analyzes, an all-optical shift register that utilizes SEEDs embedded in the connecting optical waveguides is presented. Considering its advantage of application in optical packet header processing, we present the application of this all-optical shift register in an optical multiprotocol label switching switch.