| 摘要 |
An optical packet header identifier having a simplified configuration and being superior in reliability, stability, and economical efficiency, an optical router incorporating the identifier therein, and a routing method using the optical router are provided. The optical packet header identifier includes an optical waveguide, optical focusing means, and a photo receiver. Tilted gratings for diffracting an incident optical beam and emitting the beams as diffracted optical beams 14 to the outside of the waveguide are formed within the optical waveguide. The tilted gratings are not formed uniformly in a longitudinal direction of a core of the optical waveguide, but are arranged at intervals. The length of a portion containing a set of gratings and the length of a portion containing no gratings can be defined in increments of length "L". "L" equals to the spatial length which 1 bit in an optical signal occupies. Arrangement of the plurality of sets of tilted gratings along an optical axis coincides with an address code previously added to a packet. The optical focusing means performs the spatial integration of the diffracted optical beams, which are emitted to the outside of the waveguide by each of the plurality of sets of tilted gratings, and then the photo receiver performs the integration of the optically focused beams for a time period. Calculation of correlation between the address added to the incoming optical packet and the code given to the identifier is performed to identify the address. A programmable header identifier is constructed by employing an optical semiconductor material as an optical waveguide, and forming electrically independent sets of electrodes on the semiconductor material.
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