Abstract

All-optical networks (AONs) are emerging as the next generation broadband networks for both wide-area and local-area networks. In order to fully exploit the enormous bandwidth that optical channels can provide, it is essential to make the best use of WDM (wavelength division multiplexing), TDM (time division multiplexing) and SDM (space division multiplexing). A device called “wavelength grating router (WGR)” [3, 4] (also known as N × N multiplexer) has been developed to provide interconnections in an AON, allowing wavelengths to be reused in different parts of the network [1]. Figure 1 (a) gives a schematic diagram of the N × N static WGR, in which the number of wavelengths F is equal to the number of ports N. Figure 1 (b) is an equivalent representation of this device in terms of an array of wavelength multiplexers D_w and that of wavelength multiplexers M_w [2].

© 1995 Optical Society of America