Abstract

Introduction to Optical Signal Processing All-optical Signal Processing • Why signal process in the optical domain ..? • 4 main motivations : – High-speed data capability • 40Gb/s deployed in commercial optical networks, 100GbE emerging – Compatible with optical transmission • Avoids expensive/complex optical to electrical conversions – Lower power/cost than purely electronic solutions • Especially for multi-channel WDM systems – ‘On-the-fly’ processing for reduced latency • Synergy of electronic and optical signal processing – Optical is not necessarily a replacement technology for electrical – Use optical signal processing functions to allow photonic systems to scale to higher capacities, speed, reach – Inevitable introduction of optics as line rates & electronic processing power/speed continues to increase

© 2010 IEEE Communications Society, IEEE Photonics Society, OSA, Telcordia