Fast wavelength-tunable multichannel switching using a self-injection seeding scheme

Wavelength-tunable switching among different channels in the range of hundreds of megahertz has been demonstrated by the self-injection seeding mechanism. The different wavelength components have been switched by sequentially feeding back the temporally separated cavity modes to the laser diode. The spacing between different wavelengths has been tuned by adjusting the electrical modulation frequency and the length of the dispersive fiber cavity. In addition to the spectral and temporal profiles, the switching characteristics such as the output pulsewidth, side-mode-suppression ratio, tuning rate, and the effect of the fiber length have also been investigated.