Abstract
Array-waveguide grating (AWG) is a kind of passive wavelength router.
It can perform nonblocking switching functions in conjunction with tunable
wavelength converters (TWCs). For optical switching systems with large number
of ports, however, the scalability of the AWG is restricted by coherent crosstalk.
In this paper, we propose a modular method of designing arrays of AWGs for
large-scale switching systems, in which a contention-free connection from
an idle input to an idle output can always be established regardless of the
number of existing connections in progress. The construction process of AWG
networks is sometimes called AWG function decomposition. For the decomposition
of an $N\times N$ AWG, we describe the modular architecture of a functionally equivalent
three-stage network of smaller AWGs, and derive the necessary and sufficient
conditions on the number of smaller AWG modules needed for nonblocking switching.
Our results can be applied to the decomposition of any AWG components employed
in an AWG-based switching network to suppress the coherent crosstalk.
© 2012 IEEE
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