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Internet Protocol layer multicast by means of electronic processing is going to be the bottleneck of the next generation optical networks. Optical routers with optical layer multicast capability will become the new focus to overcome the speed limit and simplify the logical network stack structure. In this paper, optical multicast technologies by multi-wavelength conversion are reviewed and assessed with regards to their suitability for optical routers. Furthermore, experimental performance validation of four potential multi-wavelength conversion techniques is demonstrated. Finally, promising technologies for optical multicast routers are suggested.