Terabit Lightwave Networks: The Multihop Approach

Anthony S. Acampora, Mark J. Karol, Michael G. Hluchyj

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

104 Scopus citations

Abstract

For multiuser communications networks, lightwave technology offers the potential to supply a pool of capacity—to be shared among users—far above that provided by any alternative technology. However, the bandwidth limitation of the electro‐optic converters needed to attach each user to the optical medium prevents any one user from accessing more than a tiny fraction of the overall capacity. This paper discusses the problems with conventional approaches for tapping the capacity contained within the optical communications band. It then proposes a new network architecture that permits tapping lightwave's vast capacity potential without requiring a technological breakthrough. With this approach, it becomes possible to create networks that offer hundreds of thousands of gigabits‐per‐second total capacity, to be shared among users, each limited to a peak rate of 1 Gb/s.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)21-34
Number of pages14
JournalBell Labs Technical Journal
Volume66
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 1987

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