Flexible waveband routing node architecture for spatial-division and multi-band optical networks [Invited]

We propose a network architecture named flexible waveband routing (FWR) that adopts flexible path bundling and bundled path routing. This two-stage routing scheme can be implemented by a combination of small degree wavelength selective switches (WSSs) and optical matrix switches. As the optical-cross-connect (OXC) scale depends on just that of the matrix switches adopted, large-scale OXC nodes are realized by introducing recently developed high-port-count switches. FWR supports spatial division multiplexing efficiently through its introduction of spatially joint switching at WSSs. Multi-band transmission can also be supported by the use of WSSs handling different frequency bands. Numerical simulations and transmission experiments confirm its validity.