Novel Multicode-Processing Platform for Wavelength-Hopping Time-Spreading Optical CDMA: A Path to Device Miniaturization and Enhanced Network Functionality

Cost-effective, robust, code-processing photonic devices are essential for the adoption of optical code-division multiple access in future commercial and military network applications. Progress in several technology platforms for code processing is summarized. In particular, we focus on developments in a technology platform based on holographic Bragg reflectors that allow the processing of multiple codes simultaneously, with low footprint. Results of simultaneous en/decoding of two wavelength-hopping time-spreading codes using a single device are presented. Several applications are presented where multicode-processing capability can result in significant simplification of node and system architectures and, thus, provide feasible implementation of schemes to obtain enhanced network performance such as security and scalability.