A coherent OFDM switching system for flexible optical network configuration

A coherent optical switching node based on the combination of a frequency conversion stage with a space switching matrix is proposed for flexible interconnection of future integrated broadband communication networks. The basic system concept is presented together with the architecture of a demonstrator, which allows one to study the functionality available in future networks. The major subsystems and components of the demonstrator are described, and experimental results concerning frequency stabilization, frequency switching, and space switching are presented.<
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