Flexible optical packet compression and switching utilizing an optical crosspoint switch matrix based on active vertical coupler

We experimentally demonstrate all-optical packet compression for a RZ payload up to 40 Gb/s and a label at 155 Mb/s, based on a recirculating buffer with one single optical crosspoint switch. The packet can be flexibly switched, dropped, time slot interchanged up to 9 time-slots and compressed up to 4 packets in one time slot. Back to back BER performance of the 4 times compressed packet is measured with only 1.8 dB of power penalty. By using variable fiber delay lines, this scheme can be further extended to the applications for variable length/time slot packet routing and compression.