Abstract
Optical switches have been studied for a long time, but it is only recently, with the maturation of lightwave technology, that serious thought is being given to optical switching. Optical switching, which is not a well-defined term, defined here means the arbitrary interconnection of N fundamental-mode fiber inputs at bit-rate B with N fiber outputs. The competition, which is always a few lengths ahead, is the electronic N × N switch with fiber and optoelectronic ports. The optical switch is transparent to any bit-rate but its rearrangement time and control are inferior to the electronic switch. Both approaches have significant limitations but N has many important applications.
© 1991 Optical Society of America
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