Asymmetric dilation of multiwavelength cross-connect switches for low-crosstalk WDM optical networks

We predict that, for wavelength division multiplexing optical-network applications, an asymmetrically dilated configuration of a 2/spl times/2 cross-connect is significantly better in terms of overall crosstalk when the levels of the bar-port crosstalk and the cross-port crosstalk are significantly different from each other, as is the case with optical-frequency filters which utilize grating-assisted coupling. As a verification, we present a simulation study with 2/spl times/2 polarization-diversified acousto-optic tunable filters. We present a recursive method to extend the principle of asymmetric dilation to larger-size cross-connect switches, and make a recommendation for an asymmetrically dilated 4/spl times/4 cross-connect configuration.