A 200 Mb/s packet-switched WDM-SCM network using fast RF tuning

Abstract

In this paper we describe the design of a packet-switched wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) metropolitan area fiber-optic network with multiple RF subcarrier channels multiplexed on each wavelength We also describe the experimental verification of the key features of this network. Each station (node) in the network is assigned a unique wavelength and RF subcarrier for reception and a unique wavelength for transmission. Packetswitching can be accomplished by a combination of rapid tuning between RF subcarriers on the same wavelength at the transmitter and multihop; wavelength tunability is not required. When fully implemented, our network is capable of supporting 32 wavelengths spaced 1 nm apart and five amplitude-shift-keyed (ASK) subcarrier channels, each operating at 200 Mb/s and spaced 400 MHz apart, on each wavelength, and can achieve an aggregate throughput of 7 Gb/s.