The evolution of optical systems: Optics everywhere

• Published in: Bell Labs technical journal Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 188 - 202
• Main Authors: Alferness, Rod C., Kogelnik, Herwig, Wood, Thomas H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 2000; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company; Lucent Technologies
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Integrated optics; Channel capacity; Service restoration; Optical telecommunication; Rapid process; Wavelength division multiplexing; Telecommunication network management; Optical system; Business communication; Software tool; User service; Optical transmission; Bandwidth; Optical amplifier; Cost estimation; Internet; Optical interconnection; High rate transmission
• ISSN: 1089-7089; 1538-7305
• DOI: 10.1002/bltj.2214

With the explosion of capacity demands driven by the Internet, optical networking systems are experiencing tremendous growth and are providing increasingly high transmission capacities. As importantly, with the advent of the optical amplifier and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), optics is playing a larger role in networking and is extending further to the edge of the network. Once limited to long-haul point-to-point systems, Lucent Technologies is now commercializing multipoint metro WDM ring systems that include software-controlled optical wavelength add/drop multiplexers and soon will offer large optical cross connects. These optical network elements, together with network management software, will enable rapid provisioning of wavelength services, as well as rapid network restoration. In addition, as the cost of optics is driven down and the demand for bandwidth to businesses and residential customers continues to grow, optical systems are extending out from the network core and metro to access applications. The confluence of a proliferation of broadband service applications and rapidly maturing optical technology are literally driving optical systems into all segments. Increasingly, optics is literally everywhere.