All-optical packet switching with all-optical header processing using Fabry-Perot laser diodes

We will describe recent results in all-optical packet switching with all-optical header processing using Fabry-Perot laser diodes (FP-LD). First, we will report an all-optical header processor and control signal generator using a single FP-LD with a special two-intensity-level control signal and a novel self-routing address format for the data packets. We then show that the special control signal can be generated by direct modulation of a DFB laser with square electrical pulses thus simplifying implementation. We will demonstrate that a single Fabry-Perot laser diode can also serve as an all-optical on/off switch with all-optical header processing. The header rate is 5 Gb/s and the payload rate is 10 Gb/s. The all-optical on/off switch can also be realized by using a FP-LD as the header processor only and executing the packet switching at a separate stage. The two-stage implementation of all-optical on/off switch eliminates the residue header bits problems if only a single FP-LD is used. Finally, we propose an all-optical packet-switched ring network which can be constructed from the all-optical on/off switches demonstrated.