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.