Abstract

The current generation of transport systems being deployed for point-to-point transoceanic and terrestrial applications has been made possible by key integrated optic devices, particularly modulators, wavelength multiplexers/demultiplexers and polarization scramblers. To realize the full potential of wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) to build reconfigurable transport networks will require a family of optical network elements, including configurable add/drop multiplexers and cross-connects, that will depend even more critically upon the high level of optical functionallity, compactness and potential for low cost offered by integrated optics technology.

© 1997 Optical Society of America