Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for steering an input packet stream includes a traffic splitter configured to split an input packet stream into a first packet stream and a second packet stream, and a photonic switching fabric coupled to the traffic splitter, where the photonic switching fabric is configured to switch the first packet stream. The system may also include an electrical packet switching fabric coupled to the traffic splitter, where the electrical packet switching fabric is configured to switch the second packet stream, and a traffic combiner coupled to the photonic switching fabric and to the electrical packet switching fabric, where the traffic combiner is configured to merge the first switched packet stream and the second switched packet stream to produce a first packet flow.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of controlling a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) photonic switch includes applying a voltage to an electrode of an initial mirror of a first mirror array of the MEMS photonic switch and illuminating a control beam. The method also includes reflecting the control beam off the initial mirror to form a control beam spot on a second mirror array of the MEMS photonic switch and detecting an initial location of the control beam spot to produce an initial optical response. Additionally, the method includes adjusting the voltage in accordance with the initial optical response while the control beam spot has a nonzero velocity.

Abstract: A method includes comparing a length of a first packet to a threshold, determining that the first packet is a short packet when the length of the first packet is less than the threshold, and determining that the first packet is a long packet when the length of the first packet is greater than or equal to the threshold. The method also includes when the first packet is a long packet placing the first packet in a long packet container and transmitting the long packet container to a photonic switch. Additionally, the method includes when the first packet is a short packet placing a first portion of the first packet in a first short packet container, where the first short packet container includes a sequence number, a source top-of-rack switch (TOR) address, and a destination TOR address and transmitting the first short packet container to an electronic switch.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a first packet, where the first packet has a length and comparing the length of the first packet to a length threshold. The method also includes when the length of the first packet is greater than or equal to the length threshold, placing the first packet in a long packet container and transmitting the long packet container to a first photonic switch and when the length of the first packet is less than the length threshold, placing the first packet in a first short packet container and transmitting the first short packet container to a second photonic switch.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of aligning mirrors of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) photonic switch includes illuminating a first group of photodiodes associated with a first mirror of a first mirror array of the MEMS photonic switch by a first control beam during a first period of time and illuminating a second group of photodiodes associated with a second mirror of the first mirror array by a second control beam during a second period of time, where the second control beam is off during the first period of time, where the first control beam is off during the second period of time, and where the second period of time is after the first period of time. The method also includes illuminating the first group of photodiodes by the first control beam during a third period of time, where the second control beam is off during the third period of time, and where the third period of time is after the second period of time.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first packet payload, and where the first packet payload originates from a first top-of-rack switch (TOR) and receiving a second packet payload, where the second packet payload originates from a second TOR. The method also includes placing the first packet payload in a transport container and placing the second packet payload in the transport container. Additionally, the method includes transmitting the transport container to a photonic switch.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for multi-wavelength encoding includes receiving an input optical packet stream having an address and data and encoding the address of the input optical packet stream producing an encoded address including a first group of symbols including a first selected symbol, where the first group of symbols has more than two symbols. The method also includes generating a first wavelength in accordance with the first selected symbol and generating an output optical packet stream having the data of the input optical packet and the first wavelength, where the first wavelength corresponds to the first selected symbol. Additionally, the method includes modulating the first wavelength with the input optical packet stream.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) photonic switch includes a first plurality of collimators including a first collimator configured to receive a first traffic optical beam having a traffic wavelength and a first control optical beam having a control wavelength, where a first focal length of the first collimators at the traffic wavelength is different than a second focal length of the first collimators at the control wavelength. The MEMS photonic switch also includes a first mirror array optically coupled to the first plurality of collimators, where the first mirror array including a first plurality of first MEMS mirrors integrated on a first substrate and a first plurality of first photodiodes integrated on the first substrate, where the photodiodes are disposed in interstitial spaces between the MEMS mirrors.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for multi-wavelength encoding includes receiving an input optical packet stream having an address and data and encoding the address of the input optical packet stream producing an encoded address including a first group of symbols including a first selected symbol, where the first group of symbols has more than two symbols. The method also includes generating a first wavelength in accordance with the first selected symbol and generating an output optical packet stream having the data of the input optical packet and the first wavelength, where the first wavelength corresponds to the first selected symbol. Additionally, the method includes modulating the first wavelength with the input optical packet stream.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) photonic switch includes a first plurality of collimators including a first collimator configured to receive a first traffic optical beam having a traffic wavelength and a first control optical beam having a control wavelength, where a first focal length of the first collimators at the traffic wavelength is different than a second focal length of the first collimators at the control wavelength. The MEMS photonic switch also includes a first mirror array optically coupled to the first plurality of collimators, where the first mirror array including a first plurality of first MEMS mirrors integrated on a first substrate and a first plurality of first photodiodes integrated on the first substrate, where the photodiodes are disposed in interstitial spaces between the MEMS mirrors.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) photonic switch includes a first plurality of collimators including a first collimator configured to receive a first traffic optical beam having a traffic wavelength and a first control optical beam having a control wavelength, where a first focal length of the first collimators at the traffic wavelength is different than a second focal length of the first collimators at the control wavelength. The MEMS photonic switch also includes a first mirror array optically coupled to the first plurality of collimators, where the first mirror array including a first plurality of first MEMS mirrors integrated on a first substrate and a first plurality of first photodiodes integrated on the first substrate, where the photodiodes are disposed in interstitial spaces between the MEMS mirrors.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a first packet, where the first packet has a length and comparing the length of the first packet to a length threshold. The method also includes when the length of the first packet is greater than or equal to the length threshold, placing the first packet in a long packet container and transmitting the long packet container to a first photonic switch and when the length of the first packet is less than the length threshold, placing the first packet in a first short packet container and transmitting the first short packet container to a second photonic switch.

Abstract: A method includes comparing a length of a first packet to a threshold, determining that the first packet is a short packet when the length of the first packet is less than the threshold, and determining that the first packet is a long packet when the length of the first packet is greater than or equal to the threshold. The method also includes when the first packet is a long packet placing the first packet in a long packet container and transmitting the long packet container to a photonic switch. Additionally, the method includes when the first packet is a short packet placing a first portion of the first packet in a first short packet container, where the first short packet container includes a sequence number, a source top-of-rack switch (TOR) address, and a destination TOR address and transmitting the first short packet container to an electronic switch.

Abstract: A photonic switching structure includes a first macromodule, where the first macromodule includes an array of switch matrix photonic integrated circuit (PIC) nodes having a first row, a second row, a first column, and a second column and a first optical splitter optically coupled to PIC nodes in the first row. The first macromodule also includes a second optical splitter optically coupled to PIC nodes in the second row and a first output selector optically coupled to PIC nodes in the first column. Additionally, the first macromodule includes a second output selector optically coupled to PIC nodes in the second column and a first collision detector coupled to PIC nodes in the first column. Also, the first macromodule includes a second collision detector coupled to PIC nodes in the second column.

Abstract: An optical connection includes a first array of holes on a first side of a registration plate and an array of grooves on a second side of the registration plate. The optical connection also includes a first plurality of GRIN lenses inserted into the first array of holes, where the first plurality of GRIN lenses includes a first GRIN lens in a first hole of the first array of holes and a second plurality of GRIN lenses inserted in grooves of the array of grooves, where the first side of the registration plate is opposite the second side of the registration plate, where the second plurality of GRIN lenses includes a second GRIN lens in a first groove of the array of grooves opposite the first GRIN lens, and where the first GRIN lens is optically coupled to the second GRIN lens by an air gap in the first.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first packet payload, and where the first packet payload originates from a first top-of-rack switch (TOR) and receiving a second packet payload, where the second packet payload originates from a second TOR. The method also includes placing the first packet payload in a transport container and placing the second packet payload in the transport container. Additionally, the method includes transmitting the transport container to a photonic switch.

Abstract: A method for photonic device includes an optical macromodule substrate including optical interconnects and a first photonic integrated circuit (PIC) including a first photonic switch, where the first PIC is mechanically coupled to the optical macromodule substrate and optically coupled to the optical interconnect. The photonic device also includes a PIC controller electrically coupled to the first PIC.

Abstract: In one embodiment, micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) mirror structure includes an electrode plate including a first deflection electrode and a second deflection electrode, where the second deflection electrode is opposite the first deflection electrode, where the first deflection electrode is configured to receive a first drive voltage, and where the second deflection electrode is configured to receive a second drive voltage. The MEMS mirror structure also includes a mirror support pillar disposed on the electrode plate, where the mirror support pillar has a bearing surface and a mirror disposed above the bearing surface of the support pillar, where the mirror has a deflection angle, and where the first voltage is nonzero when the deflection angle is zero.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of controlling a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) photonic switch includes applying a voltage to an electrode of an initial mirror of a first mirror array of the MEMS photonic switch and illuminating a control beam. The method also includes reflecting the control beam off the initial mirror to form a control beam spot on a second mirror array of the MEMS photonic switch and detecting an initial location of the control beam spot to produce an initial optical response. Additionally, the method includes adjusting the voltage in accordance with the initial optical response while the control beam spot has a nonzero velocity.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of aligning mirrors of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) photonic switch includes illuminating a first group of photodiodes associated with a first mirror of a first mirror array of the MEMS photonic switch by a first control beam during a first period of time and illuminating a second group of photodiodes associated with a second mirror of the first mirror array by a second control beam during a second period of time, where the second control beam is off during the first period of time, where the first control beam is off during the second period of time, and where the second period of time is after the first period of time. The method also includes illuminating the first group of photodiodes by the first control beam during a third period of time, where the second control beam is off during the third period of time, and where the third period of time is after the second period of time.