Application of WDM holographic devices in access and metro networks

Abstract

In this paper, a design of a generic multipurpose device is described. It can operate, in its basic structure, as a tunable wavelength filter, wavelength multiplexer or λ router; by using a more complex structure, the device works as an optical add drop multiplexer (OADM) or/and optical switch (OS). It can be used in both coarse and dense wavelength division multiplexing technology (CWDM/DWDM) according to the network application. Performance parameters of the device, like switching time, losses, crosstalk or polarization insensitivity are analyzed and compared with other switching technologies. Some applications of the holographic WDM multifunction device in METRO networks are described, such as the utilization of OADMs in optical path protection/reconfiguration between nodes (1 + 1 configuration) and the use of optical switches to interconnect nodes of the METRO–access network with the METRO-Core or long haul networks in a reconfigurable topology. Other applications in Access networks are possible, like the use of the OADMs in optical path protection between the optical line termination (OLT) at the central office (CO) and the remote node (RN) in a fiber to the office passive-optical network (FTTO-PON) or, in some specific cases, the utilization as tuneable holographic filters in a FTTO application, at the Business ONT (BONT), to select the assigned optical wavelength according to the services provided to the customer.