9729719 Kazovsky, Leonid G. Stanford University CISE Research Instrumentation: Ultra-High-Speed Optical Networks This research instrumentation grant enables the utilization of the requested BER test set in studies which include:- optical packet switching,- fiber nonlinearities, and- high-speed communication integrated circuits. The objective of proposed research is to explore the multi-TeraHertz bandwidth potential of optical fibers to support ultra-high-speed, wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) optical links and networks. That objective will be achieved via construction and experimental investigation of novel ultra-high-speed experimental links and networks operating in the 10 - 100 Gb/s range. The requested instrument, a 12 Gb/s bit error rate (BER) test set, is vitally important for the proposed research as it provides a means to (a) generate data at extremely high data rates and(b) test BER performance of experimental links and networks at such high data rates. The BER test set will be used in our experiments in conjunction with external time-division and wavelength-division multiplexing to measure the performance of our experimental systems in the 10 - 100 Gb/s range. Thus, the proposed instrument will have a strong positive impact on our research as it will allow us to move toward much higher bit rates previously inaccessible with older equipment. Specifically, the new BER test set will be used in our 84 km WDM experimental ring network interconnecting Stanford University with Sprint ATL. The network currently operates at 2.5 Gb/s per wavelength. The proposed BER test set will help to increase the bit rate to 40 Gb/s per wavelength by allowing us to time-division-multiplex four 10 Gb/s bit streams into a 40 Gb/s data stream. Several additional research projects in the laboratory and elsewhere at Stanford will utilize the requested BER test set.
