Photonics in switching: enabling technologies and subsystem design

Abstract

This paper describes recent research activities and results in the area of photonic switching carried out within the framework of the EU-funded e-Photon/ONe+ network of excellence, Virtual Department on Optical Switching. Technology aspects of photonics in switching and, in particular, recent advances in wavelength conversion, ring resonators, and packet switching and processing subsystems are presented as the building blocks for the implementation of a high-performance router for the next-generation Internet.