Architectural framework for optical frequency division multiplexing systems based on regular space-frequency interconnections

The paper describes a multistage interconnection network (MIN) with regular interconnections in three dimensions (two space dimensions and the third dimension is the frequency) and dimension-dependent switches. (Regular interconnections mean that the same interconnection principles are applied throughout the stages of the MIN.) The frequency domain is organized by introducing artificial dimensions. The architecture is interpreted as an optical frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system with multidimensional interconnections and switches where the dimension is an additional design parameter. The multidimensional interconnections may be implemented using a combination of space and frequency channels. The frequency interconnections (data movements between channels) are expressed by the Kronecker product (KP) of permutation matrices. In this case the number of frequency conversion (FC) operations and the number of frequency channels crossed during the generation of interconnections and switching decreases. The architectural principles presented are of general interest for the study of transmission and processing in arbitrary large scale interconnection systems implemented in the 3-D physical space.