Analysis of space-time tradeoffs in photonic switching networks

A photonic switching network may be dilated in either space or time to establish crosstalk-free connections. Space-time tradeoffs are evaluated using an analytical model based on Markov process. The probability that a new connection can be established without crosstalk is calculated by taking into consideration the traffic correlations between stages. The model is applicable to both Banyan and dilated Banyan networks under either switch or stage control. Our results imply that space-time tradeoffs are improved by using Banyans instead of dilated Banyans. If hardware cost is not a concern, a multi-plane Banyan network, which is more effective than a dilated Banyan, may be used.