Harm J. S. Dorren

All-optical packet/circuit switching-based data center network for enhanced scalability, latency, and throughput

Applications running inside data centers are enabled through the cooperation of thousands of servers arranged in racks and interconnected together through the data center network. Current DCN architectures based on electronic devices are neither scalable to face the massive growth of DCs, nor flexible enough to efficiently and cost-effectively support highly dynamic application traffic profiles. The FP7 European Project LIGHTNESS foresees extending the capabilities of todays electrical DCNs throPugh the introduction of optical packet switching and optical circuit switching paradigms, realizing together an advanced and highly scalable DCN architecture for ultra-high-bandwidth and low-latency server-to-server interconnection. This article reviews the current DC and high-performance computing (HPC) outlooks, followed by an analysis of the main requirements for future DCs and HPC platforms. As the key contribution of the article, the LIGHTNESS DCN solution is presented, deeply elaborating on the envisioned DCN data plane technologies, as well as on the unified SDN-enabled control plane architectural solution that will empower OPS and OCS transmission technologies with superior flexibility, manageability, and customizability.

320 Gbit/s wavelength conversion using four-wave mixing in quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers

In this study, we demonstrate error-free all-optical wavelength conversion of ultrahigh-speed intensity modulated signals by means of four-wave mixing in a quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier. Error-free performance at a bit rate of 320 Gbit/s is measured for the extracted 40 Gbit/s tributaries with a 3.4 dB average power penalty to the original signal.

Ultrahigh-speed and widely tunable wavelength conversion based on cross-gain modulation in a quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier

We present ultrahigh-speed and full C-band tunable wavelength conversions using cross-gain modulation in a quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier (QD-SOA). In this study, we successfully demonstrated error-free 320-Gbit/s operation of an all-optical wavelength converter (AOWC) using the QD-SOA for the first time. We also demonstrated full C-band tunable operation of the AOWC in the wavelength range between 1535 nm and 1565 nm at a bit rate of 160-Gbit/s.

Monolithic Multistage Optoelectronic Switch Circuit Routing 160 Gb/s Line-Rate Data

We propose, characterise and demonstrate a photonic multistage switching circuit operating at 160 Gb/s serial line rates. The circuit is realised on a re-grown active-passive wafer exploiting multiple stages of loss-compensating semiconductor optical amplifier crossbar switch elements. Excellent 40 dB crosstalk extinction is achieved, with signal to noise ratios of up to 39 dB/0.06 nm. Low loss circuit operation is presented, with the prospect of gain if antireflection coatings are applied at the input and output facet.

A low-power high-speed InP microdisk modulator heterogeneously integrated on a SOI waveguide

We report on the modulation characteristics of indium phosphide (InP) based microdisks heterogeneously integrated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide. We present static extinction ratios and dynamic operation up to 10 Gb/s. Operation with a bit-error rate below 1 × 10(-9) is demonstrated at 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 Gb/s and the performance is compared with that of a commercial modulator. Power penalties are analyzed with respect to the pattern length. The power consumption is calculated and compared with state-of-the-art integrated modulator concepts. We demonstrate that InP microdisk modulators combine low-power and low-voltage operation with low footprint and high-speed. Moreover, the devices can be fabricated using the same technology as for lasers, detectors and wavelength converters, making them very attractive for co-integration.

Optical injection in semiconductor ring lasers: backfire dynamics

We report on directional mode switching in semiconductor ring lasers through optical injection co-propagating with the lasing mode. The understanding of this novel feature in ring lasers is based on the particular structure of a two-dimensional asymptotic phase space. Our theoretical results are verified numerically and experimentally.

A novel 3D stacking method for opto-electronic dies on CMOS ICs

High speed, high density and low cost solution for realizing optical interconnects is presented. An opto-electronic die, directly bonded on top of CMOS IC driver, is connected using metal traces lithographically defined. A twelve channel transmitter based on the technique was fabricated, and test shows good performance up to 12.5 Gb/s/ch.

Monolithically integrated WDM cross-connect switch for nanoseconds wavelength, space, and time switching

We present a novel photonic integrated 4×4 WDM cross-connect switch exploiting SOA technology for nanoseconds wavelength, space, and time switching operation. Experimental results show a cross-talk <; -30dB, lossless and error-free operation with <;1dB penalty.

A single InP-on-SOI microdisk for high-speed half-duplex on-chip optical links

We demonstrate for the first time that a single compact, electrically contacted indium phosphide based microdisk heterogeneously integrated on a silicon-on-insulator waveguide can be used as both a high-speed modulator and photo detector. We demonstrate high-speed operation up to 10 Gb/s and present bit-error rate results of both operation modes.

Polarization independent dual wavelength converter based on FWM in a single semiconductor optical amplifier

We present a FWM-based dual channel wavelength converter in an SOA with very small variations in conversion efficiency and a minor polarization related power penalty of 0.9 dB between best and worst case of polarization states.