Applications of the Photonic Switching Technology for Telecommunications Switching
01 January 1987
This paper will review some of the possible photonics technologies that could become an important component of future telecommunications systems. It will begin by dividing photonic devices and systems into two classes according to the function they perform. The first class, rational, will be associated with devices which under external control maps the input channels to the output channels. The second class, logic, requires that the devices perform some type of Boolean logic function. After the classes are defined the strengths and weaknesses of the photonic domain will be discussed. Relational devices and there applications will then be discussed. The two devices to be focused on are the spatial light modulator and the directional coupler. Optical logic devices and systems will then be presented by outlining systems that will be based on either the SEED or the NLFP devices that are interconnected by either holograms or bulk optics. Finally, a packet system based on optical logic devices will be discussed.