Enhanced multi-hop operation using hybrid optoelectronic router with time-to-live-based selective forward error correction.

Multi-hop operation is demonstrated with a prototype hybrid optoelectronic router for optical packet switched networks. The router is realized by combining key optical/optoelectronic device/sub-system technologies and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor electronics. Using the hop count monitored via the time-to-live field in the packet label, the optoelectronic buffer of the router performs buffering with forward error correction selectively for packets degraded due to multiple hopping every N hops. Experimental results for 10-Gb/s optical packets confirm that the scheme can expand the number of hops while keeping the bit error rate low without the need for optical 3R regenerators at each node. (C)2011 Optical Society of America