Implementation of all-optical packet switches based on absorption modulation of an injection-locked fabry-perot laser diode

Abstract

All-optical packet switching technologies play an important role for future optical networks. They carry out both header processing and packet routing in optical domain and remove the need of optic-electronic-optic (O/E/O) conversion. So, they provide high throughput, excellent flexibility, band-width efficient optical layer, and overcoming the limitations of electrical routers. To implement all-optical packet switching, largely two functions should be carried out in optical domain. : All-optical header recognizer and all-optical flip-flop memory. A variety of header processing schemes have been achieved using tunable fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), a terahertz optical asymmetric demultiplexer (TOAD), and the two-pulse correlation principles in a semiconductor laser amplifier in loop optical mirror (SLALOM). These techniques are mature. However, the disadvantages of these schemes are bulky structure, no cost-efficient, and the need of extra all-optical flip-flop. In this thesis, we achieved two all-optical packet switches using low-cost commercial FP-LDs with external optical injection. The key principle of the optical switch is based on the change of locking threshold by external injection condition and the red-shift of absorption nulls by injection-locking. In first method, we used the properties of multi-wavelength injection-locking of FP-LD and absorption modulation. The optical switch was operated by control signals and CW holding signals, and the extinction ratio of the switched data signals was measured by ~ 6.92 dB. In second method, we used the properties of single-wavelength injection-locking of FP-LD and absorption modulation. Because this optical switch use directly modulated FP-LD by electrical control signal, we can reduce an optical source of control signals. And the extinction ratio of the switched data signals was measured by ~ 5.56 dB. Two optical switches commonly used the header processing rate at 1.25 Gb/s and the payload data rate at 10 Gb...