Integrated photonic switches for nanosecond packet-switched optical wavelength conversion

We present a multifunctional photonic switch that monolithically integrates an InGaAsP/InP quantum well electroabsorption modulator and an InGaAs photodiode as a part of an on-chip, InP optoelectronic circuit. The optical multifunctionality of the switch offers many configurations to allow for different optical network functions on a single chip. Here we experimentally demonstrate GHz-range optical wavelength-converting switching with only similar to 10 mW of absorbed input optical power, electronically controlled packet switching with a reconfiguration time of < 2.5 ns, and optically controlled packet switching in < 300 ps. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.