Parallel header processing in an all-optical packet switch

We present a method where an optical packet header is not only optically processed, but it is also done by processing each header bit in parallel to further increase the speed of the header recognition and switching in an all-optical node. A three bit parallel processing all-optical switching node based on a symmetric Mach-Zehnder switch was designed and simulated. The packet switch had two inputs and two outputs. The header and payload entered the two inputs separately, and the payload was then switched to one of the two outputs. The header packet was transmitted at a data rate of 10 Gbps and the payload at a data rate of 40 Gbps. It was found that the payload packet would exit both outputs, but at one output it would be suppressed. The measure of success that was used was the output switching ratio (the ratio between the stable optical power of a high bit at the first output and the stable optical power of a low bit at the second output). Switching ratios as high as 12 dB were obtained.