Ultrafast all-optical demultiplexers for OTDMA networks

In this paper we report the demonstration of all-optical self-clocked time-demultiplexing and packet routing using two demultiplexers the TOAD and the CPMZ. For the TOAD the clock and data were polarization multiplexed. The TOAD was used to demultiplexed OTDM data at 0.25 Tb/s. The required switching energy was only 800 fJ. A polarization filter was used to separate the clock signal from demultiplexed data at the output port of the TOAD. We have also demonstrated a newly developed all-optical switch called CPMZ, which is based on a nonlinear Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The CPMZ is a polarization and wavelength insensitive demultiplexer because, unlike the TOAD, it does not require any polarization or wavelength filter at the output port to separate the demultiplexed data from the clock signal.