A HIGH-CAPACITY PHOTONIC SPACE-DIVISION SWITCHING-SYSTEM FOR BROAD-BAND NETWORKS

A high-capacity (128-line) photonic space-division switching system pr ototype has been developed. All of the developments on polarization-in dependent LiNbO3 matrix switches, semiconductor optical amplifiers for network loss compensation and three-dimensional optical interconnecti ons for multi-stage switching networks combine to enlarge line capacit y. The system is devised to provide both HDTV distribution services th at require nonblocking connections and TV phone services that do not n ecessarily require these connections. It is confirmed that the system has been operating in providing 150 Mbps TV phone services and 600 Mbp s HDTV distribution services with high stability. Thus, the system pro ves to be promising for STM broadband switching systems capable of pro viding high-speed continuous dense bit-stream services. The system, in concert with an ATM broadband switching system, could provide a full range of cost-effective broadband services from POTS (Plain Old Teleph one Services) to HDTV.