A novel all-optical switch: the wavelength recognizing switch

A new class of an all-optical switch-the wavelength recognizing switch is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The device uses a control signal to sense the wavelength of the input packet and taps a portion of the data packet to the appropriate output port. The device is based on noncollinear four-wave mixing in a broad-area traveling-wave semiconductor optical amplifier. Measured switching efficiency is +8.2 dB with -28.8 dB of crosstalk. The recognition bandwidth is as narrow as 0.03 /spl Aring/ and the 3-dB switching bandwidth is 42 nm.