Ultra fast-fiber-optic networks using all-optical processing.

The use of optical signal processing and novel optical architectures in networks is discussed. Examples of three experimental all-optical passive star networks are presented: asynchronous code-division multiple-access (spread-spectrum), fixed-assignment (TDMA) time-division multiple-access (at 500 Mb/s) and a 12.5-Gb/s all-optical, self-routing, strictly nonblocking photonic switch. The feasibility of future photonic networks is also discussed. To reduce the bandwidth requirements of the receiver, it is necessary to perform the data regeneration process optically, using, for example, bistability or four-wave mixing. In CDMA, optical threshold detection of the autocorrelation peak is required, and in TDMA, optical coincidence of the delayed clock and the data is needed.