Abstract

The development of system technologies for high speed local area networks (LAN’s) is an active area of research. In the case of 100 Gb/s optical time division multiplexed (OTDM) networks, high speed optical logic elements are required for multiplexing (MUX). demultiplexing (DEMUX) and header processing('). Although cascadability of these logic elements is highly desirable, most current optical logic devices have not met this need. In this paper we demonstrate an all-optical switch that requires no active stabilization and is cascadable. The device, called an ultrafast nonlinear interferometer (UNI), is based on the time division interferometer (TDI) (53). The unique aspect of this work, besides the high data rate, is that the controlling optical stream counter-propagates through the switch, eliminating the need for filtering at the switch output and allowing switches to be cascaded without wavelength or polarization conversion. Using this switch, we will demonstrate data inversion at 40 Gbls and AND (DEMUX), OR and NOR functionality at 10 Gb/s. This same device can be used to perform wavelength conversion at 40 Gb/s. Bit error rate measurements for 40 Gb/s to 10 Gb/s demultiplexing and 10 Gb/s INVERT (wavelength conversion) will be presented.

© 1996 Optical Society of America