All-Optical Label Swapping of Scalable In-Band Address Labels and 160-Gb/s Data Packets

Scalability and photonic integration of packet switched cross-connect nodes that utilize all-optical signal processing is a crucial issue that eventually determines the future role of photonic signal processing in optical networks. We present a 1times4 all-optical packet switch based on label swapping technique that utilizes a scalable and asynchronous label processor and label rewriter. By combining N in-band labels at different wavelengths (within the bandwidth of the payload), up to 2N possible addresses can be encoded. The proposed label processor requires only N active devices to process the 2^N addresses that makes this label processing technique scalable with the number of addresses. Experimental results showed error-free packet switching operation at 160 Gb/s. The label erasing and new label insertion operation introduces only 0.5 dB of power penalty. These results indicate a potential utilization of the presented technique in a multi-hop packet switched network.