Abstract
*This chapter reviews the enabling technologies, architectures, and properties of reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs) and ROADM-based networks. It includes a discussion of the evolution of ROADM components including the major enabling technologies: wave blockers used for the first ROADMs, photonic light wave circuit (PLC) ROADMs, and ROADMs based on wavelength selective switches (WSSs), used most widely today because of their superior cascadeability for 50 GHz spaced DWDM channels and graceful support for higher degree nodes. It also discusses the architectures and ROADM characteristics that apply in each case. Amplifiers are necessary elements of ROADM nodes primarily to compensate the loss of the ROADM components. It discusses the requirements for such amplifiers and reveals the impact of ROADM-based architecture on the operation of amplified networks and on the amplifier requirements. Of particular note is the ability of ROADMs to provide power equalization of channels for compensation of amplifiers' spectral gain ripple. Finally, the chapter addresses new and emerging applications such as photonic restoration, which might increase network availability at reduced cost, and colorless and directionless ROADM architectures, which can increase routing flexibility and provide simplified physical interfaces with reduced cost.
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