A Parallel Self-Routing Rearrangeable Nonblocking Multi-$\log_{2}N$ Photonic Switching Network

A new rearrangeable nonblocking photonic multi-
log

₂

N
network
DM
(
N
) is introduced. It is shown that
DM
(
N
) network possesses many good properties simultaneously. These good properties include all those of existing rearrangeable nonblocking photonic multi-
log

₂

N
networks and new ones such as
O
(log
N
)-time fast parallel self-routing, nonblocking multiple-multicast, and cost-effective crosstalk-free wavelength dilation, which existing rearrangeable nonblocking multi-
log

₂

N
networks do not have. The advantages of
DM
(
N
) over existing multi-
log

₂

N
networks, especially
Log

₂

(N
, 0, 2
^{¿log2 N/2¿}
), are achieved by employing a two-level load balancing scheme-a combination of static load balancing and dynamic load balancing.
DM
(
N
) and
Log

₂

(N
, 0, 2
^{¿log2 N/2¿}
) are about the same in structure. The additional cost is for the intraplane routing preprocessing circuits. Considering the extended capabilities of
DM
(
N
) and current mature and cheap electronic technology, this extra cost is well justified.