A Dynamically Reconfigurable Folded-Path Time Delay Buffer for Optical Packet Switching

A novel all-optical buffer based on adjustable time delay line is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. This physically compact buffer can be used in optical packet routers and is dynamically reconfigurable within nanoseconds. By using a flexible folded-path architecture design, packets are controlled to exit the buffer immediately or after a variable delay time. Furthermore, this functionality is achieved without sacrificing the scalability and compactness of the design.