Cross-Layer Platform for Dynamic, Energy-Efficient Optical Networks

The design of the next-generation Internet infrastructure is driven by the need to sustain the massive growth in bandwidth demands. Novel, energy-efficient, optical networking technologies and architectures are required to effectively meet the stringent performance requirements with low cost and ultrahigh energy efficiencies. In this thesis, a cross-layer communications platform is proposed to enable greater intelligence and functionality on the physical layer. Providing the optical layer with advanced networking capabilities will facilitate the dynamic management and optimization of optical switching based on performance monitoring measurements and higher-layer attributes. The cross-layer platform aims to create a new framework for networks to incorporate packet-scale measurement subsystems and techniques for monitoring the health of the optical channel. This will allow for quality-of-service- and energy-aware routing schemes, as well as an enhanced awareness of the optical data signals. This thesis first presents the design and development of an optical packet switching fabric. Leveraging a networking test-bed environment to validate networking hypotheses, advanced switching functionalities are demonstrated, including the support for quality-of-service based routing and packet multicasting. The investigated cross-layering is based on emerging optical technologies, enabling packet protection techniques and packet-rate switching fabric reconfiguration. Coupled with fast performance monitoring, the platform will achieve significant performance gains within the endeavor of all-optical switching. Allowing for a more intelligent, programmable optical layer aims to support greater flexibility with respect to bandwidth allocation and potentially a significant reduction in the network's energy consumption. The ultimate deliverable of this work is a high-performance, cross-layer enabled optical network node. The experimental demonstration of an initial prototype creates a dynamic network element with distributed control plane management, featuring fast packet-rate optical switching capabilities and embedded physical-layer performance monitoring modules. The cross-layer box enables an intelligent traffic delivery system that can dynamically manipulate optical switching on a packet-granular scale. With the goal of achieving advanced multi-layer routing and control algorithms, the network node requires an intelligent co-optimization across all the layers. The proposed cross-layer design should drive optical technologies and architectures in an innovative way, in order to fulfill the void between the design of basic photonic devices and the networking protocols that use them. The performance of the entire network -- from the optical components, to the routing algorithms and user applications -- should be optimized in concert. This contribution to the area of cross-layer network design creates an adaptable optical pipe that is extremely flexible and intelligent aware of both the physical optical signals and higher-layer requirements. The impact of this work will be seen in the realization of dynamic, energy-efficient optical communication links in future networking infrastructures

Advances in Optical Amplifiers

Optical amplifiers play a central role in all categories of fibre communications systems and networks. By compensating for the losses exerted by the transmission medium and the components through which the signals pass, they reduce the need for expensive and slow optical-electrical-optical conversion. The photonic gain media, which are normally based on glass- or semiconductor-based waveguides, can amplify many high speed wavelength division multiplexed channels simultaneously. Recent research has also concentrated on wavelength conversion, switching, demultiplexing in the time domain and other enhanced functions. Advances in Optical Amplifiers presents up to date results on amplifier performance, along with explanations of their relevance, from leading researchers in the field. Its chapters cover amplifiers based on rare earth doped fibres and waveguides, stimulated Raman scattering, nonlinear parametric processes and semiconductor media. Wavelength conversion and other enhanced signal processing functions are also considered in depth. This book is targeted at research, development and design engineers from teams in manufacturing industry, academia and telecommunications service operators

Coherent multicarrier lightwave technology for flexible capacity networks (invited)

Highly flexible and survivable networks can be built by allocating optical carriers of heterodyne systems. The basic features of heterodyne systems are reviewed, especially the use of multicarriers, tunability, and selectivity. Then specific application areas that may benefit from flexible multicarrier allocation schemes are discussed. Examples are taken from the RACE Phase II project R2065, coherent optical systems implemented for business traffic routing and access (COBRA). Next, trends and progress in heterodyne systems in general and related key components are summarized, and then examples of ongoing field trials in Europe are discussed. Finally, the coherent multicarrier technology are compared briefly with direct detection multiwavelength technolog

Coherent multicarrier lightwave technology for flexible capacity networks (invited)

Highly flexible and survivable networks can be built by allocating optical carriers of heterodyne systems. The basic features of heterodyne systems are reviewed, especially the use of multicarriers, tunability, and selectivity. Then specific application areas that may benefit from flexible multicarrier allocation schemes are discussed. Examples are taken from the RACE Phase II project R2065, coherent optical systems implemented for business traffic routing and access (COBRA). Next, trends and progress in heterodyne systems in general and related key components are summarized, and then examples of ongoing field trials in Europe are discussed. Finally, the coherent multicarrier technology are compared briefly with direct detection multiwavelength technolog

A tunable-channel multi-access wavelength division multiplexed network and surveillance schemes for optical cross-connects.

by Eddie Ting Pong Kong.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 61-68).Abstracts in English and Chinese.Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1Chapter 1.1 --- Optical Network Architecture --- p.1Chapter 1.2 --- High-Speed All-Optical Tunable-Channel Multi-Access Networks --- p.3Chapter 1.3 --- Fault Surveillance of Optical Cross-Connects in Wavelength Routing Network --- p.3Chapter 1.4 --- Outline of the Thesis --- p.5Chapter 2 --- Optical Multi-Access Networks --- p.6Chapter 2.1 --- All-Optical Networks --- p.6Chapter 2.2 --- Optical Multi-Access Schemes --- p.8Chapter 2.2.1 --- Wavelength-Division Multi-Access (WDMA) --- p.9Chapter 2.2.2 --- Time-Division Multi-Access (TDMA) --- p.12Chapter 2.2.3 --- Subcarrier Multi-Access (SCMA) --- p.14Chapter 2.3 --- Design Considerations --- p.14Chapter 3 --- All-Optical Tunable-Channel Multi-Access Networks --- p.18Chapter 3.1 --- Tunable-Channel Multi-Access Networks --- p.19Chapter 3.2 --- Protocols for TCMA Networks --- p.20Chapter 3.3 --- Photonic Implementation of a Wavelength Division TCMA Network with Time- Slot Access --- p.23Chapter 3.3.1 --- Proposed Network Architecture --- p.25Chapter 3.3.2 --- Experimental Results --- p.30Chapter 3.3.3 --- Discussion --- p.34Chapter 3.3.4 --- Summary --- p.35Chapter 4 --- Fault Surveillance for Optical Cross-Connects in Wavelength Routing Networks --- p.36Chapter 4.1 --- Wavelength Routing Networks --- p.37Chapter 4.2 --- Options in Fault Surveillance --- p.39Chapter 4.3 --- Optical Path Surveillance of Optical Cross-Connects in Wavelength Routing Networks --- p.41Chapter 4.3.1 --- Scanning Amplified Spontaneous Emission Identification Surveillance Scheme --- p.43Chapter 4.3.2 --- Pilot-Tone Based Surveillance and Removal Scheme --- p.49Chapter 4.4 --- Summary --- p.55Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.57Chapter 5.1 --- Summary of the Thesis --- p.57Chapter 5.2 --- Future Work --- p.60Bibliography --- p.61Publication List --- p.5

Optical packet networks : enabling innovative switching technologies

Les réseaux informatiques avec une grande capacité nécessitent des liaisons de transmission de données rapides et fiables pour prendre en charge les applications web en pleine croissance. Comme le nombre de serveurs interconnectés et la capacité de stockage des médias ne cessent daugmenter, les communications optiques et les technologies de routage sont devenues intéressantes grâce au taux binaire élevé et à lencombrement minimum offert par la fibre optique. Les réseaux optiques à commutation de paquets (OPSNs) offrent une flexibilité accrue dans la gestion de réseau. OPSNs exploitent les convertisseurs de longueur donde accordables (WC) pour minimiser la probabilité de blocage et fournir une allocation dynamique des longueurs donde. Les émetteurs optiques basés sur des sources multi-longueurs donde se présentent comme une solution intéressante en termes de coût, dencombrement et defficacité énergétique par rapport aux autres types de lasers. Les convertisseurs de longueurs donde doivent permettre des taux binaires élevés et une transparence à une grande variété de formats de modulation, tout en offrant une réponse rapide, des niveaux de puissance modérés et un rapport de signal à bruit optique (OSNR) acceptable à la sortie. Plusieurs technologies de conversion de longueur donde ont été proposées dans la littérature. Lutilisation du mélange à quatre ondes (FWM) dans les amplificateurs optiques à semi-conducteurs (SOA) permet lutilisation de faibles niveaux de puissance dentrée et offre une bonne efficacité de conversion ainsi que la possibilité dintégration photonique. Les SOAs offrent donc un excellent compromis par rapport aux autres solutions. Pour couvrir une plus large bande de conversion, nous utilisons le schéma exploitant le FWM avec doubles pompes dans les SOAs. Pour la stabilité de phase, les pompes viennent d’un laser en mode bloqué (QDMLL) qui sert comme source multi-longueurs donde. Deux modes du QDMLL sont sélectionnés par un filtrage accordable et servent comme doubles pompes. Un filtre accordable placé à la sortie du SOA sert à sélectionner le produit du FWM pour le signal final. Nous étudions le convertisseur de longueur donde proposé et comparons sa performance pour différents formats de modulation (modulation dintensité et de phase) et à différents débits binaires (10 et 40 Gbit/s). Le taux derreur binaire, lefficacité de conversion et la mesure de lOSNR sont présentés. Nous démontrons aussi la possibilité de simultanément convertir en longueurs donde les données et l’étiquette. Les données à haut débit et l’étiquette à faible débit se retrouvent dans une seule bande de longueurs d’onde, et ils sont convertis ensemble avec une bonne efficacité. Notre démonstration se concentre sur les performances de conversion, donc les données et létiquette sont des signaux continus plutôt que de paquets optiques. Des mesures de taux derreur binaire ont été effectuées à la fois pour les données et pour létiquette. Nous proposons aussi lutilisation de QDMLL comme source de transmetteurs WDM pour deux applications différentes: unicast et multicast. Nous démontrons aussi sa compatibilité avec le format de transmission DQPSK à haut débit binaire. Nous évaluons la performance du DQPSK en terme de taux derreur binaire et comparons sa performance à celle dune source laser à cavité externe.Large scale computer networks require fast and reliable data links in order to support growing web applications. As the number of interconnected servers and storage media increases, optical communications and routing technologies become interesting because of the high speed and small footprint of optical fiber links. Furthermore, optical packet switched networks (OPSN) provide increased flexibility in network management. Future networks are envisaged to be wavelength dependent routing, therefore OPSN will exploit tunable wavelength converters (WC) to enable contention resolution, reduce wavelength blocking in wavelength routing and switching, and provide dynamic wavelength assignment. Optical transmitters based on multi-wavelength sources are presented as an attrative solution compared to a set of single distributed feedback lasers in terms of cost, footprint and power consumption. Wavelength converters should support high bit rates and a variety of signal formats, have fast setup time, moderate input power levels and high optical signal-to-noise ratio at the output. Several wavelength conversion technologies have been demonstrated. The use of four wave mixing (FWM) in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) provides low input power levels, acceptable conversion efficiency and the possibility of photonic integration. SOAs therefore offer excellent trade-offs compared to other solutions. To achieve wide wavelength coverage and integrability, we use a dual pump scheme exploiting four-wave mixing in semiconductor optical amplifiers. For phase stability, we use a quantum-dash mode-locked laser (QD-MLL) as a multi-wavelength source for the dual pumps, with tunability provided by the frequency selective filter. We investigate the proposed wavelength converter and compare its performance of wavelength conversion for different non-return-to-zero (NRZ) intensity and phase modulation formats at different bit rates (10 and 40 Gbit/s). Bit error rate, conversion efficiency and optical signal-to-noise ratio measurements are reported. We demonstrate the possibility of tightly packed payload and label wavelength conversion at very high data baud rate over wide tuning range with good conversion efficiency. Our demonstration concentrates on conversion performance, hence continuous payload and label signals were used without gating into packets. Bit error measurements for both payload and label were performed. We propose the use of QD-MLL as multi-wavelength source for WDM unicast and multicast applications and we investigated its compatibility with DQPSK transmission at high bit rate. We quantify DQPSK performance via bit error rate measurements and compare performance to that of an external cavity laser (ECL) source

Investigation of wavelength tunable laser modules for use in future optically switched dense wavelength division multiplexed networks

This thesis investigates the use of fast wavelength tunable laser modules in future optically switched dense wavelength division multiplexed networks (DWDM). The worldwide demand for increasingly greater broadband access has thus far been satisfied by the use of DWDM networks, enabled by the development of the erbium doped amplifier. However as this demand continues to grow electronic switching at network nodes will become a limiting factor, creating a potential bandwidth mismatch between the fibre capacities and switching capacity. Optical switching has been proposed to overcome this electronic bottleneck and fully utilize the enormous bandwidth offered by fibre. Fast tunable lasers (TLs) are a key technology in this area, enabling fast wavelength switching. Experimental work involving the fast wavelength switching of sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector TL modules is presented. Spurious mode generation during wavelength tuning is shown to cause severe cross-channel interference on other data channels in a DWDM test bed. Bit error rate (BER) results demonstrate that a integrated semiconductor optical amplifier can greatly reduce system degradation caused by asynchronous switching of multiple TLs. This is achieved by optically blanking the laser output during channel transition for a period of 60 ns. Immediately after the blanking period a wavelength drift due to the TL module wavelength locking is found to cause cross channel interference and introduce an error floor >1 e-4 on the BER performance characteristic of an adjacent channel in a 12.5 GHz spaced DWDM network. This drift is characterised, using a selfheterodyne and a filter based approach – Error free performance is subsequently demonstrated by using an extended blanking period of 260 ns or by using subcarrier multiplexing transmission and phase selective demodulation before detection. A DWDM optical label switching system, utilizing 40 Gbit/s payload data with low data rate labels placed on a 40 GHz sub-carrier and using TL transmitters is presented. Channel performance is monitored on a static channel as a second data channel is tuned into an adjacent channel on a 100 GHz spaced grid. Error free performance is demonstrated only for the channel payload – Time resolved BER results in agreement with the TL wavelength drift are measured and demonstrate a detrimental influence of the drift on the sub-carrier label performance

Optical flow switched networks

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2009.Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-279).In the four decades since optical fiber was introduced as a communications medium, optical networking has revolutionized the telecommunications landscape. It has enabled the Internet as we know it today, and is central to the realization of Network-Centric Warfare in the defense world. Sustained exponential growth in communications bandwidth demand, however, is requiring that the nexus of innovation in optical networking continue, in order to ensure cost-effective communications in the future. In this thesis, we present Optical Flow Switching (OFS) as a key enabler of scalable future optical networks. The general idea behind OFS-agile, end-to-end, all-optical connections-is decades old, if not as old as the field of optical networking itself. However, owing to the absence of an application for it, OFS remained an underdeveloped idea-bereft of how it could be implemented, how well it would perform, and how much it would cost relative to other architectures. The contributions of this thesis are in providing partial answers to these three broad questions. With respect to implementation, we address the physical layer design of OFS in the metro-area and access, and develop sensible scheduling algorithms for OFS communication. Our performance study comprises a comparative capacity analysis for the wide-area, as well as an analytical approximation of the throughput-delay tradeoff offered by OFS for inter-MAN communication. Lastly, with regard to the economics of OFS, we employ an approximate capital expenditure model, which enables a throughput-cost comparison of OFS with other prominent candidate architectures. Our conclusions point to the fact that OFS offers significant advantage over other architectures in economic scalability.(cont.) In particular, for sufficiently heavy traffic, OFS handles large transactions at far lower cost than other optical network architectures. In light of the increasing importance of large transactions in both commercial and defense networks, we conclude that OFS may be crucial to the future viability of optical networking.by Guy E. Weichenberg.Ph.D