KEOPS: Keys to optical packet switching

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 95.0553

Key words (English)

Optical communication; photonic technologies

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: AC043

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 1.2 Communications technologies

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Alcatel Alsthom Recherche (F), France Télécom (F), Centro Studi e Laboratori Telecommunicazione (I), Technical University of Denmark (DK), Alcatel-CIT (F), Alcatel-SEL AG (D), Università de Bologna (I), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (CH), University of Strathclyde (UK)

Abstract (English)

According to its objective the KEOPS project has defined, developed, and addressed concepts of optical information packet switching and routing networks capable of providing transparency to the payload bit rate of fiber optical communication networks. feasibility of KEOPS system concepts has been assessed by modelling, laboratory experiments and trials including optical packet switching nodes, network/node interfacing blocks and fully equipped rack mounted demonstrators.

Definition of optical information packet layer, general network reference structures and relations between network structures, packet formats and synchronization schemed have been issued, as well as guidelines for all-optical transparent packet switches and interfaces.

Component developments included multiwavelength sources, all-optical wavelength converters and, the parts which ETH-Zurich developed: Multiwavelength space switches based on InP waveguide interferometers, InP high speed electronic drivers for optical amplifier gates and multichannel wavelength-filters in Silica on Silicon. The space-switch modules, which combine 4 optical interferometer switches, 4 input and 4 output fibers and lnP driver electronics reach world record low fiber-to-fiber losses of only 5 dB and switching capabilities in the multi Gigabitlsecond domain.
They have been successfully used in a packet synchronization demonstrator of KEOPS. Two iterations of 16 channel WDM filters in SiO2/Si have resulted in high performance 16 channel wavelength selector modules that have been successfully used in a packet switching demonstrator.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 95.0553