Wavelength conversion by difference-frequency generation is achieved in a periodically domain reversed AlGaAs waveguide. The AlGaAs waveguide is epitaxially grown on a template substrate where a periodic crystal domain inversion is achieved using wafer bonding, selective etching, and organometallic chemical vapor deposition. Wavelength conversion experiments on a fabricated buried heterowaveguide showed a 90 nm conversion bandwidth, polarization diversified operation, and polarization independent conversion efficiency. The experimental results also showed linearity and spectral inversion, which imply transparency to signal formats including analog and frequency modulation. Simultaneous conversion of multiple input wavelengths with no measurable cross talk is also demonstrated.

This paper proposes an architecture for a wavelength-interchanging cross-connect (WIXC) that can be used as a switching node of strictly transparent and scalable networks with all-optical routing and all-optical wavelength conversion capabilities. This architecture utilizes all-optical parametric wavelength converters based on difference-frequencygeneration (DFG) or four-wave mixing (FWM), although this work focuses only on the implementation using Difference-Frequency-Generation wavelength converters. The proposed WIXC architecture exploits the unique wavelength mapping properties of parametric wavelength converters: mirror image mapping and simultaneous multichannel wavelength conversion. The derivation of this architecture involves application of a Space/Wavelength transformation to the classical Benes switch fabric. The connection setup for the resulting architecture follows the well established looping algorithm, and the architecture is scalable in both the ports and the wavelengths. The scaling occurs in an orderly fashion, which allows modular upgrades of WIXC's for cost-effective evolution of the networks. The unique properties of the parametric wavelength converter including transparent and multichannel conversion capabilities result in a WIXC architecture that requires fewer wavelength converters while maintaining scalability and transparency. Index Terms-Architecture, optical networks, transparency, wavelength conversion, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), wavelength interchange cross-connect (WIXC), wavelength selective cross-connect (WSXC). I. INTRODUCTION I N recent years, significant research efforts have been devoted to the design of high-capacity, flexible, cost-effective, reliable, transparent, and scalable multiwavelength optical networks [1], [2]. Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) point-to-point transmission is emerging as the key technology solution that will help increase capacity and realize national scale networks. The DWDM point-to-point systems

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