Burst-Mode Transmission and Data Recovery for Multi-GHz Optical Packet Switching Network Testing

This paper describes the challenges associated with recovery of multi-GHz short burst communications in multi-channel systems, especially DWDM optical packet switching networks. Burst-mode data transmission complicates the standard methods typically used to recover embedded clock information and recover the serial data. Previously implemented solutions to this problem either constrain the test capability or are not extensible to higher signaling rates. A new approach, capable of locking in a single cycle at rates up to 10 Gbps is described in this paper. This solution applies to both the testing strategies and a receiver circuit used for an end-application optical switching network interface.