System performance measurements for an all-optical header processor using 100-Gb/s packets

We experimentally measure the eye diagram of an all-optical header processo r using a crosscorrelator to achieve picosecond resolution. By varying 100- Gb/s header packets, we measure an eye diagram with a Q-value of 7.1 at 12- pJ packet pulse energy for the all-optical header processor consisting of a ll-optical logic gates and synchronized fiber lasers, From the Q-value, we also statistically calculate the potential hit-error-rate performance of 7. 0 x 10-(13), By measuring the change in Q-values as a function of input pow er, we find that input power fluctuations degrade the performance of the he ader processor by reducing the switching contrast of the logic gates in the header processor.