Wavelength recognizing switches: Architectures and system applications

We present and model possible system applications of a recently demonstrated wavelength recognizing switch (WRS). The switch allows all-optical self routing in very wide bandwidth networks. In this work, we discuss architectures using multiwavelength all-optical WRS devices, we analyze possible network access strategies and we assess the feasibility of cascading WRS devices. We conclude with a novel view of a higher level of data aggregation, where the basic switching unit is wavelength packet (multiple modulated wavelengths switched as a single entity).