4 ms·
Ok, poor question on my part, but a great answer. Thanks! Yes, wavelength-division multiplexing can expand the capacity of a single strand. I meant, packet swi
by sounds 11y ago
Ok, poor question on my part, but a great answer. Thanks! Yes, wavelength-division multiplexing can expand the capacity of a single strand.
I meant, packet switching.
Switching packets of photons would be done by transitioning from transparent to opaque/inverted polarity/shifted wavelength/etc.
I'm way out of my depth here but an interferometer seems like one method that current research is looking at to accomplish that. What do you think looks the most promising?
- mstresh 11y agoYes, an interferometer is certainly a very common method to perform switching. What ultimately gets used will depend on the technology/material system. Silica-on-silicon and silicon photonics-based switches will likely use Mach-Zehnder interferometers. MEMS switches currently use movable mirrors or gratings.