Abstract
We present a novel optical metro node architecture that exploits the Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) optical cross-connect nodes for interconnecting network elements, as well as computing and storage resources. The photonic WDM cross-connect node based on semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) allows switching data signals in wavelength, space, and time for fully exploiting statistical multiplexing. The advantages of using an SOA to realize the WDM cross-connect switch in terms of transparency, switching speed, photonic integrated amplification for loss-less operation, and gain equalization are verified experimentally. The experimental assessment of a 4 × 4 photonic integrated WDM cross-connect confirmed the capability of the cross-connect chip to switch the WDM signal in space and wavelength. Experimental results show lossless operation, low cross-talk <−30 dB, and dynamically switch within few nanoseconds. Moreover, the operation of the cross-connect switch with multiple WDM channels and diverse modulation formats is also investigated and reported. Error-free operation with less than a 2 dB power penalty for a single channel, as well as WDM input operation, has been measured for multiple 10/20/40 Gb/s NRZ-OOK, 20 Gb/s PAM4, and data-rate adaptive DMT traffic. Compensation of the losses indicates that the modular architecture could scale to a larger number of ports.
Highlights
Optical metro networks face significant challenges supporting ever-increasing bandwidth demands and ever increasing service expectations [1]
In this work we present a novel optical metro node architecture that exploits the Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) optical cross-connect nodes for interconnecting network elements, as well as computing and storage resources
The experimental assessment of a photonic WDM cross-connect node based on semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) as a main building functionality for implementing the interconnected network of the metro node is reported
Summary
Optical metro networks face significant challenges supporting ever-increasing bandwidth demands and ever increasing service expectations [1]. High-performance next-generation dynamic optical metro networks should efficiently support a variety of access applications with dynamic traffic patterns (LTE and 5G backhaul and fronthaul, multi-technology Passive Optical Networks (PON), data center interconnects, enterprises, etc.) as well as multi-Tbit/s interfaces with core networks by leveraging the latest advances in optical transmission and switching Applications, such as 5G with deployment of multiple antennas and MIMO radio configurations, require large bandwidth beyond 100 Gb/s, and the computing and storage resources for processing the signals from the radio antennas. New developments in network virtualization could partition the optical data layer to be able to accommodate a wide range of use cases, from the vertical industries and other infrastructure users with different requirements (e.g., latency, resiliency, and bandwidth) allocating logical networks and infrastructures, optimally tailored for each specific use case This requires the metro node network architecture to be a flexible infrastructure that can be adapted and scaled on demand according to the applications. Power consumption and costs of such infrastructures should be
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