Architectural designs of space multiplexed optical multistage networks

Abstract

The hardware for both shuffling and switching in a volume shuffle/exchange network with N channels must be duplicated log2N times to make the network full access. We discuss two space multiplexed optical feedback systems that use a single stage of optics for the shuffles and have a simplified arrangement of the bypass/exchange switches. One method interlaces channels from all stages with space invariant optics and has locally connected switches. The other method uses shift variant optics and is based on our earlier one-copy algorithm1; it divides channels at each stage into four quadrants that are interlaced so that outputs appear in distinct blocks. Experimental results will be presented.