Multiwavelength bidirectional optical cross connect using tunable fiber Bragg gratings and multiport optical circulators

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate a multiwavelength bidirectional optical cross connect (BOXC) using fiber Bragg gratings and multiport optical circulators for interconnecting single-fiber bidirectional ring networks (SFBRNs). The proposed BOXC can switch each bidirectional optical channel, both independently and simultaneously. In the experiments, the relative intensity noise (RIN) due to Rayleigh backscattering and optical reflections between counterpropagating optical channels is sufficiently suppressed. Homodyne and heterodyne crosstalk characteristics are also discussed on the basis of experimental measurements.