Hybrid buffer and AWG based add-drop optical packet switch

Optical packet switching (OPS) exhibits the ability to be utilized as a data transmission technique for next-generation. The core router/switch plays a significant role in packet routing and buffering in OPS. Arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) is realized as a promising core element for fast optical switching, with its intrinsic capacity to achieve wavelength routing of different wavelengths in parallel. This paper proposes an AWG-based add-drop optical packet switch, including a hybrid buffer, to resolve contention among packets. In a hybrid buffer, both optical and electronic buffers are used for the buffering of contending packets. AWGs are affected by crosstalk that can significantly impair system operation. The physical layer analysis is discussed in the presence of crosstalk, and the performance of the switch is evaluated in terms of bit error rate. The desired minimum input power is calculated for the switch’s correct operation for both optical buffer and electronic buffer. Finally, the packet loss probability (PLP) of the hybrid buffer is examined under various buffering conditions. Results reveal that with the increase in the optical power of the input signal, crosstalk power increases linearly for optical and electronic buffers. The increased crosstalk power is higher for electronic buffers than the optical buffer. The use of electronic memory in the hybrid buffer allows the hybrid buffer to increase its buffer size thus, reducing the PLP.