Photonic Switching TechnologyApplications

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

AT&T Technical Journal

Volume

66

Issue

3

Publication Date

1987

First Page

41

Last Page

53

Abstract

This paper will review some of the possible photonics technologies that could become important components of future telecommunications systems. It will begin by dividing photonic devices and systems into two classes according to the function they perform. The first class, relational, is associated with devices that, under external control, map the input channels to the output channels. The second class, logic, requires that the devices perform some type of Boolean logic function. After the classes are defined, some of the strengths and weaknesses of the photonic domain will be presented. Relational devices and their applications will then be discussed with a special focus on the spatial light modulator and the directional coupler. This will be followed by a description of two of the optical logic devices, the self‐electro‐optic device and the nonlinear Fabry‐Perot etalon. Finally, there will be a brief discussion of optical logic systems and their potential applications.

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