Jane D. LeGrange

Demonstration of an Integrated Buffer for an All-Optical Packet Router

An integrated silica 10-channel, AWG-based delay-line optical buffer with up to 100 ns delay is demonstrated. Error-free operation at 40 Gb/s is shown for all channels with penalties of ∼2–4 dB at BER = 10⁻⁹.

Architectures, Components, and Subsystems for Future Optical Packet Switches

Rapidly increasing network traffic is posing a challenge to the construction of future routers. While high-capacity transport has kept pace with rising traffic demands through the use of dense wavelength-division multiplexing, the scaling of core routers is slowed by power density limits and complexity and interconnectivity issues. Optical switching has the potential to overcome these scaling restrictions, and as a result, has generated great scientific and commercial interest. In this paper, we present an overview of some optical packet-switching architectures and describe components and subsystems that are required to enable this technology.

Orientational order of Langmuir–Blodgett films as determined by fluorescence anisotropy

The orientational order parameters 〈P2〉 and 〈P4〉, of cadmium stearate Langmuir–Blodgett multilayers have been calculated from steady state fluorescence anisotropy experiments. It has been shown that it is valid to model the polarization components using the assumptions that the fluorescent probes are axially symmetric, the film is azimuthally symmetric within the plane, and that the rotational motion is slow enough to be neglected. Although the data do not preclude a dependence of anisotropy on thickness, within the sample‐to‐sample variations, there is no significant effect of thickness on orientational order. The order parameters for newly deposited films are 〈P2〉=0.33 and 〈P4〉=0.02. The orientational order decreases in the first 600 h after deposition, and then remains stable for at least several months.

Demonstration of an integrated buffer for an all-optical packet router

We demonstrate an integrated optical buffer, fabricated in silica, with data storage up to 100 ns. The buffer consists of an array of waveguide delays between matched arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) routers and is designed for an all-optical packet router where buffering is required to resolve packet contention. By changing the incoming signal wavelength, the output port of the first AWG router is selected, thereby selecting a storage time in the buffer. All buffer channels have been demonstrated at 40 Gb/s with error-free operation and penalties of ~ 2-4 dB for bit-error rate =1times10-9.

Fluorescence anisotropy studies of orientational order of Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers

Abstract Langmuir-Blodgett multilayer films of cadmium stearate labeled with 3-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol) fluorescence probes have been fabricated and studied by fluorescence microscopy and steady state anisotropy measurements. The results indicate that there is a decrease in fluorescence anisotropy with number of layers which saturates at about 10 layers. This decrease may be modeled as a decrease in orientational order of the fluorescence probes in the multilayers. A simplified model is used to obtain values for the 〈P2〉 and 〈P4〉 order parameters as a function of thickness. 〈P2〉 is 0.4 and does not change with thickness. 〈P4〉, however, decreases from 0.1 for a monolayer to 0.04 for a 9-layer film.

Amplification of subnanosecond light pulses by a synchronously fired Nd:YAG laser

We have used a simple dye laser driven by a Q‐switched Nd:YAG laser as an amplifier for subnanosecond pulses from a nitrogen laser driven dye laser. Energy gains of up to 150 are observed, with final pulse energies of 200 μJ at 650 nm.