Variable-bit-rate header recognition for reconfigurable networks using tunable fiber-Bragg-gratings as optical correlators

We demonstrate variable-bit-rate recognition of the header information in a data packet. Our technique is reconfigurable for different header sequences and uses optical correlators as look-up tables. We use this optical technique to recognize the header and switch a series of incoming data packets at 155 Mb/s, 622 Mb/s, and 2.5 Gb/s to one of two outputs in a reconfigurable network. Penalty-fee routing with a 1.6 ns guard time is achieved.