A multihop 2/spl times/2 all-optical photonic packet switch

We describe an all-optical packet switch architecture and present experimental results of all-optical multihop routing using 2/spl times/2 photonic packet switches. The switch is designed for distributed switching systems. At each hop, the full functions of self-routing, contention resolution, and header regeneration/reinsertion are performed with both switch inputs active. These results demonstrate a basic level of functionality needed to build full scale all-optical packet switched networks. Deflection routing is used to arbitrate contention. Three hops without optical amplification is demonstrated at a switch throughput of 36.4 Mpackets/sec, 145.6 Mbits/sec with a four bit payload. WDM out-of-band signaling is used to code and process the packet control header.<
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