Corinne Chauzat

Design Implementation of a Gigabit ATM Photonic Switching Matrix

This paper presents a high-performance ATM photonic switching matrix, consisting of an all-optical self-routing high-speed network electrically controlled. The matrix internal architecture is based on wavelength encoding, for cell routing and multiplexing, and on output queueing, for providing the buffering function: its operating principles are fully illustrated. The matrix optical key components are described in detail, discussing as well the main physical constraints imposed by their current characteristics, and their impact on the matrix dimensioning are discussed. Finally, a rack-mounted, reduced size demonstrator, a 4 x 4 matrix supporting a 2.5 Gbit/s input/output rate, has been implemented and the obtained good results in terms of bit error rate and of hardware integration and reliability are reported. This demonstrator shows the switch feasibility with state-of-the-art optical technology.

Wavelength optical/electronic encoding module for ATM optical-switching

We present a novel wavelength-encoding module, suitable for high-speed wavelength switching in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) networks. This module includes a tunable DBR laser and an original GaAs IC-driver, which is a full custom 0.5-/spl mu/m gate-length P-HEMT IC. With fast switching time (300 ps), low power consumption (1.4 W), and small dimensions, this tunable-driver advantageously replaces the conventional electronics. Switching over four wavelength-modes has been demonstrated with parasitic wavelength-drifts lower than 0.02 nm, and switching times are mainly laser dependent. Implementation of the module inside a 4/spl times/4 ATM switching-matrix demonstrator working at 2.5 Gbit/s shows no degradation of the EER.<<ETX>>

Optical Packet Switching System Based on Optical Amplifier Gates

A photonic high-speed packet switch architecture based on the so-called broadcast-and-select scheme is presented and analysed. It is based on wavelength encoding and selection for packet routing and the use of an optical fibre delay line buffer accessed through fast optical gates for contention resolution. Experimental results show the feasibility of 16x16 switching matrices at bit rates up to 10 Gbit/s, thanks in particular to the use of high performance clamped-gain semiconductor optical amplifier gates.