An optical header replacement technology based on Self Electro-optic Effect Devices (SEEDs) is presented. By using the measurement result of a 75 μm long SEED device, we simulate an 8 Gbps throughput is achievable. Based on the switching characteristics of SEEDs, we proposed several methods to improve the SEEDs switching speed. An ultra fast switching speed at 50 Gbps is achievable by integrating external components and applying a pair of preset pulses. Due to the convenience of operation in both the optical domain and the electrical domain, it is very suitable for optical header processing; therefore it is an ideal candidate solution for optical fast packet switch
