An improved electronic selector circuit for WDM optical receivers in packet-switched PON networks

In this work, we revisit a tunable optical-receiver configuration based on nontunable wavelength demultiplexing and electronic channel selection. Compared to previous designs, our novel electronic selector circuit provides a significant reduction in the average noise current, while simultaneously achieving the high tuning speed required at the optical network unit (ONU) of packet-switched WDM-PON networks. Also, for the first time (to our knowledge), this kind of circuit is demonstrated to operate well above one GB/s. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.