Photonic signal processing devices and subsystems for all-optical networks

All-optical networking potentially allows high-speed optical communications to become more cost effective by the use of low-cost transparent light paths, which do not need any optical-to-electrical (O/E) and electrical-to-optical (E/O) conversions. All-optical wavelength convertible modulation format conversion can enable the interconnection of different types of optical networks. In this dissertation, novel approaches for 10-Gb/s all-optical modulation format conversion (both RZ-to-NRZ and NRZ-to-RZ) and a polarization insensitive approach based on injection-locking of Fabry-Perot laser diodes (FP-LD) will be investigated. Different approaches for format conversion will be reviewed.; Optical label controlled packet switching is a promising technology for use in future IP-over-wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks because it can reduce latency and is transparent to packet length and payload bit-rates. Different approaches for optical packet labeling will be reviewed and new methods of orthogonal labeling will be investigated. We propose and demonstrate a novel method for label transmission using simultaneous 10-Gb/s amplitude-shift-keying (ASK) modulation for the payload and 2.5--Gb/s differential-phase-shift-keying (DPSK) for the label. This scheme allows the realization of all-optical label-swapping in optical packet-switched networks. We also propose and implement another novel label transmission scheme based on the use of 10-Gb/s ASK payload and 2.5-Gbls polarization-shift-keying (PolSK) label. The potential for future work on device integration to implement some of the schemes proposed above will be explored by via an initial study of flip-chip bonding of FP-LD array on a silicon optical bench.