Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

IEEE Spectrum

Volume

29

Issue

2

Publisher

IEEE

Publication Date

1992

First Page

42

Last Page

45

DOI

10.1109/6.119612

Abstract

The use of hardware that exploits the interplay of photons and electrons to switch voice, data, and video is discussed. The two directions being taken by current research-guided-wave and free-space photonics-are examined. Photonic time-slot interchanges are described. Multidivisional fabrics, based on a combination of space-division and time-division multiplexing, are considered, as is the wavelength-division-based photonic packet switch, another kind of multidimensional fabric. The use of self-electrooptic effect devices, (SEEDs) is discussed.

Comments

Originally published by IEEE. Publisher's PDF can be accessed through IEEE Spectrum.