Approaches to ultrafast all-optical signal processing

Rapidly growing demands triggered unparallel needs for fast-reliable-reconfigurable, and secure networks. Current solutions are govern by the reappearance of electronic bottleneck which imposes many limitations. To fulfil these demands will require low cost, high speed, high granularity access networks which can not be built using merely current technology and approaches to the data and signal processing. It is believed ultrafast all-optical signal processing may offer some alternatives by supplementing the lack of high-speed electronics. In this paper, we will review some advanced previously demonstrated all-optical techniques which may help to address the electronic bottleneck which is the major limiting factor in communication networks today.