Waveband selective switch: a networking analysis for advanced optical transport networks in 6G and beyond technologies

Multi-layer optical networks are a prospective concept in the upcoming era of bandwidth-abundant optical networks that decouple the enormous spatial division multiplexing (SDM) layer from the wavelength division multiplexing layer. In this direction, we present an analysis of a generalized multi-band optical cross-connect (OXC) at the networking level. This OXC operates in two stages: firstly, it groups wavelengths to form wave- bands, and secondly, it switches them as waveband paths. The findings demonstrate that waveband routing is a viable and cost-effective replacement for traditional wavelength routing in massive parallel optical networks.