New functional multiaddress channel selective terminal using an arrayed waveguide grating multiplexer with cross-connect loopback paths

The authors propose and successfully demonstrate a new functional multiaddress channel selective (MACS) terminal for WDM ring networks. Its main component is a silica based 1.55 μm arrayed waveguide grating 16×16 multiplexer with unique loopback paths. The proposed MACS terminal can select desired channels with different daughter terminals by providing cross-connect loopback paths. A new concept is introduced on the basis of which the MACS terminal accommodates daughter terminals producing a mesh network topology on a physical layer. The authors clarify the fundamental operation of the new terminal which uses only one tunable laser source to select a desired channel. An important multiaddress channel selective function in the fabricated MACS terminal is realised, based on the spectral response in a discrete 4-channel selection and pulse signal transmissions in two selected channels