WDM knockout switch with multi-output-port wavelength-channel selectors

This paper proposes the photonic knockout switch that uses wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). The proposed switch uses two types of WDM switching: broadcast-and-select (B and S) switching and wavelength routing. To extend the size of the knockout switch concentrator, a multi-output-port wavelength-channel selector is used, which enables us to reduce the number of optical gates and wavelength routers. Simple and distributed contention control becomes possible in the optical domain through the use of the wavelength-routing switch. In this switch, coherent crosstalk is a serious problem. We measured the bit error rates of a four-output-port wavelength-channel selector. The power penalty due to the presence of coherent crosstalk is less than 1 dB.