Tree-type photonic switching networks

The enormous bandwidth offered by optical systems makes photonic switching a very attractive solution for broadband communications. Tree-type architectures play an important role in the design of photonic switching networks. The authors present and discuss all known tree-type space-division photonic switching networks architectures in a unified framework, and propose a number of new solutions. The discussed networks can be implemented with guided-wave-based switching elements, or laser diodes and passive splitters and combiners. The following network types are considered: conventional, simplified, and two-active stage networks. Techniques for improving SNR as well as waveguide crossover minimization are presented and discussed