Progress in the Smart Pixel Technologies

The purpose of this paper is to review the recent progress in the developing smart pixel technologies. The paper begins by reviewing some of the rapidly evolving smart pixel terminologies. It then describes several of the smart pixel technologies that have recently emerged. Finally, it outlines the performance of these technologies in both device complexity and aggregate capacity. The reviewed SPA technologies include both the modulator-based FET-SEED, hybrid CMOS-SEED, and LCOS smart pixels and the source-based hybrid VCSEL/MSM, ELO, flip-chip-bonded VCSEL/MSM, and monolithic MSM/MESFET/VCSEL smart pixels

Design and Construction of an Active Alignment Demonstrator for a Free-Space Optical Interconnect

An x-y active alignment system based on Risley beam steerers is described. The demonstrator features a quadrant detector which detects the misalignment error between the center of a spot of light and the center of the quadrant detector. This misalignment error is then used by a new algorithm to calculate the rotational displacement required for the two Risley beam steerers to steer the spot of light to the center of the quadrant detector. The experimental results indicate that any spot misaligned by up to 160 μm on the quadrant detector will be systematically centered by the demonstrator system

A Complexity Analysis of Smart Pixel Switching Nodes for Photonic Extended Generalized Shuffle Switching Networks

This paper studies the architectural tradeoffs found in the use of smart pixels for nodes within photonic switching interconnection networks are discussed. The particular networks of interest within the analysis are strictly nonblocking extended generalized shuffle (EGS) networks. Several performance metrics are defined for the analysis, and the effect of node size on these metrics is studied. Optimum node sizes are defined for each of the performance metrics and system-level limitations are identified

An Optical Backplane Demonstrator System Based on FET-SEED Smart Pixel Arrays and Diffractive Lenslet Arrays

We have demonstrated a representative portion of an optical backplane using FET-SEED smart pixels and free-space optics to interconnect printed circuit boards (PCB\u27s) in a two board, unidirectional link configuration. 4×4 arrays of FET-SEED transceivers were designed, fabricated, and packaged all the PCB level, The optical interconnection was constructed using diffractive microoptics, and custom optomechanics. The system was operated in two modes, one showing high data throughput, 100 MBit/sec, and the other demonstrating large connection densities, 2222 channel/cm2

Photonic Switching Fabrics Based on S-SEED Arrays

This book outlines the current status of research in photonic switching and details the latest scientific achievements and trends in this field. The topics treated include guided-wave devices, optically controlled devices, space-division switching, free-space and wavelength-based switching and devices, and packet switching. Several contributions provide a broad overview of some of the most rapidly developing areas, such as optical amplifiers, nonlinear optical devices, and free-space digital optics. This is an ideal reference book for researchers wishing to learn about and understand the recent rapid progress in photonic switching

Optical Time-Switching Systems

Within recent years there has been a significant amount of interest in applying the new and developing photonics technology for telecommunications switching. As the transmission plant has converted its facilities to fibre there is an economic interest in completing the optical path through the switching system to the terminal facilities without requiring optical-to-electrical conversions. This paper reviews some of the proposed switching systems that use time-multiplexed switching and discusses how, and if, they could fit into current telecommunications networks

Photonic Switching and Optical Computing Based on Free-Space Digital Optics

This paper reviews the optical hardware required for photonic switching and optical computing systems that are based on free-space digital optics. It includes a comparison of the devices, interconnects, and systems that have been proposed for both types of systems