Abstract

Subcarrier-multiplexed (SCM) headers employed in all-optical wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) routing networks provides the advantages of header detection using a small portion of the optical signal, reduces timing constraints on header extraction, and permits the use of conventional silicon electronics to process the address.¹ Certain network architectures require header updating/replacement during the routing process. This has presented a problem for all-optical transparency because previous techniques required optoelectronic conversion of the payload to change the subcarrier.

© 1996 Optical Society of America