Sampling pulses with semiconductor optical amplifiers

We demonstrate three techniques to measure the instantaneous frequency and intensity of optical pulses using semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs). Four-wave mixing, gain-saturation, and interferometric switching through a nonlinear optical loop mirror are three mechanisms by which sampling is done. We have experimentally measured the intensity and chirp profiles of pulses with energies as low as 10 fJ. Since the nonlinearity in the SOA is relatively slow, these measurement techniques are most appropriate for picosecond pulses often found in telecommunication applications. The temporal resolution of these methods are limited by timing jitter, which was ≈0.5 ps for the mode-locked laser diodes we used in our experiments, and by the width of the switching window     

All-optical ultra-wideband doublet signal source based on the cross-gain modulation in a semiconductor optical amplifier

We propose a novel scheme to generate the ultra-wideband (UWB) doublet signal pulse based on the cross-gain modulation (XGM) in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). In the scheme, only an optical source and an SOA are needed. As there is only one wavelength included in the output doublet signal pulse, no time difference between the upper and down pulses is introduced during the transmission process. By using the software of Optisystem 7.0, the impacts of the optical power, the SOA current, the wavelength and the input signal pulse width on the generated doublet pulse are simulated and tudied numerically. The results show that when the pulse width of the input signal pulse is larger, the output signal pulse is better, and is insensitive to the change of wavelength. In addition, the ultra-wideband positive and negative monocycles can be generated by choosing suitable optical source power and SOA current.     

All-Optical Conversion From RZ to NRZ Using Gain-Clamped SOA

An all-optical converter from return-to-zero (RZ) pulses to the nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ) format is presented. The converter operates in two stages: the laser generated in a gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is modulated with the data signal; afterwards this signal is wavelength-converted by cross-gain modulation in a common SOA. The setup is noninverting and can feature wavelength conversion. Experimental error-free conversion from 5- and 40-ps RZ pulses to NRZ format is presented at 10 Gb/s using a 2¹¹-1 bit sequence     

Polarization-independent all-optical clock division using asemiconductor optical amplifier/grating filter switch

We propose and experimentally demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, polarization-independent all-optical clock division (CD) of an optical pulse train at 2.88 GHz. This is achieved using a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)/grating filter switch, where the SOA acts as a spectral shifter by a self phase modulation and the grating filter acts as a spectral shutter. The proposed scheme is very insensitive to the polarization of input pulses and requires very low switching energy (~102 fJ). After the all-optical CD operation, we have obtained the output pulse train at 1.44 GHz, which is half the input repetition rate, with high extinction ratio (>20 dB)     

Simulation of mode-locking by nonlinear polarization rotation in a semiconductor optical amplifier

We present a theoretical investigation of a mode locked laser that has a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) in its ring cavity. A mode-locked train of narrow pulses is obtained by combining nonlinear polarization rotation in the SOA and a polarization filter whose polarization axis is set such that the tail of optical pulses is removed in each cavity round-trip. The pulse narrowing process is demonstrated numerically and good qualitative agreement with experiments in our previous work is achieved. The pulse performance is largely determined by the ultrafast SOA gain dynamics and the cavity dispersion. Our simulation shows that the laser can produce a pulse train of subpicosecond pulsewidth at a repetition rate of 28 GHz for a moderate SOA current level. We observe that the laser can switch itself on or off depending on the initial pulse.     

Analysis of basic four-wave mixing characteristics in asemiconductor optical amplifier by the finite-difference beampropagation method

We have numerically analyzed nondegenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) among short optical pulses in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) by the finite-difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM). We used the nonlinear propagation equation taking into account gain spectrum dynamic gain saturation which depends on carrier depression, carrier heating, and spectral hole-burning, group velocity dispersion, self-phase modulation, and two-photon absorption. To analyze FWM in an SOA, the evolution in time and spectral domain of two input optical pulses with different frequencies during propagation was calculated. From this simulation, it has become clear that the method me used here is a very useful technique for simulating FWM characteristics in SOA's. We also found that the wavelength dependence of the gain is crucial if the detuning is larger than 1 THz     

Switching-wavelength pulse source constructed from a dispersion-managed SOA fiber ring laser

A new approach to generate switching-wavelength picosecond pulses is developed based on a dispersion-managed semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) fiber laser cavity. Gain modulation on a 1.55-/spl mu/m SOA is used together with subharmonic gating of pulses in the cavity. An 8-GHz, eight-wavelength output is obtained with a constant spacing of 0.91 nm between neighboring wavelengths. The wavelength channels have nearly identical peak powers. The total amplitude and time jitter of the output is measured to be smaller than 0.4 ps. The spacing and the number of output wavelengths can be easily tuned by changing the operating frequency and the subharmonic ratio without modifying the optical cavity.     

Multiple ultra-wideband signal sources exploiting XPM in SFRL

A novel scheme for all-optical broadcast ultra-wideband (UWB) monocycle pulses generation based on cross-phase modulation (XPM) in semiconductor fiber ring laser (SFRL) is proposed, in which three UWB positive or negative monocycle pulses can be generated simultaneously. A comprehensive broad-band dynamic model for this kind of all-optical broadcast UWB monocycle sources is established, which is further applied to numerically analyze the impacts of injection current of semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), the power and wavelength of the signal light on the performance of the UWB positive monocycle pulses with higher power spectral density. The results show that the spectra of the UWB positive and negative monocycle pulses generated by this scheme match the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) definition quite well. Three UWB positive monocycle pulses with better performance can be obtained when the power of signal light is at a high level, and three other UWB positive monocycle pulses with good tolerance to both the injection current of the SOA and the wavelength of the signal light can be obtained. In addition, the powers of the lasing light coupled into the SFRL should not be strong to obtain three UWB positive monocycle pulses with better performance.     

SOA Fiber Ring Laser-Based Three-State Optical Memory

By exploiting three coupled semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) fiber ring lasers, a compact, integratable, and polarization-independent three-state all-optical memory is demonstrated, with 40-dB extinction ratio for each state. Dynamic flip-flop operation between states is also demonstrated with switching pulse energy of 13.6 nJ. Due to the broad bandwidth of SOA gain spectrum, the wavelength range of set pulses is large. Finally, the transition behavior of state switching is investigated.      

Optical Reshaping of 40-Gb/s NRZ and RZ Signals Without Wavelength Conversion

We experimentally demonstrate a scheme for all-optical reshaping at 40 Gb/s that is wavelength preserving and transparent to both nonreturn-to-zero and return-to-zero on-off keying signals. Eye-diagram reshaping is confirmed by means of bit-error rate versus threshold measurements on both modulation formats. The scheme is based on cross-gain compression in an semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and uses two SOAs that are not in interferometric configuration. Due to its working principle, this method is polarization-independent and suitable, in principle, for higher bit rates.     

基于SOA中XGM效应全光超宽带高斯单边信号源的研究

提出了一种基于半导体光放大器（SOA）中交叉增益调制（XGM）效应产生高斯单边信号（monocycle）脉冲的方案。该方案只需要单个外部光源和单个SOA,结构简单;采用相向的工作方式可以改善输出信号的消光比;输出的monocycle信号光只含有一个波长,在光纤传输过程中上下脉冲不会引入时间差。利用Optisystern...     

利用半导体光放大器和滤波器组合实现高速波长转换和码型转换

将半导体光放大器(SOA)和滤波器组合使用是实现高速全光信号处理的有效途径。利用半导体光放大器和带宽为0.32nm的可调窄带滤波器同时实现了40Gbit/s的非归零(NRZ)信号的反相波长转换(WC)和非归零到伪归零(PRZ)信号的码型转换,波长转换和码型转换的结果差异取决于滤波器中心波长相对于探测光波长的失谐量。当滤波器的失谐量为-0.24nm时,输出反相的波长转换,此时滤波器起到加速半导体光放大器增益恢复的功能。当滤波器失谐量为 0.41nm和-0.48nm时,得到非归零到伪归零的码型转换,并且产生的伪归零脉冲分别出现在非归零信号的上升沿和下降沿,此时滤波器的作用是将探测光的相位信息转换为强度信息,并且该码型转换结果兼有波长转换的功能。     

Polarization-Insensitive GaInNAs–GaInAs MQW-SOA With Low Noise Figure and Small Gain Tilt Over 90-nm Bandwidth (1510–1600 nm)

rdquoWe developed a broadband polarization-insensitive multiquantum-well (MQW) semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) for application as an optical switch in broadcast-and-select-type optical packet switching systems. We adopted a GalnNAs-GalnAs MQW structure active layer to decrease the noise figure (NF) around the gain peak wavelength together with a small gain tilt in the C-band. The device exhibited a smaller NF on the shorter wavelength side of the gain peak compared with a GalnNAs strained-bulk SOA. The reduced NF resulted in a large effective gain bandwidth of up to 90 nm (1510-1600 nm). The device also exhibited the small gain tilt (<1.2 dB) and small polarization-dependent gain (<0.8 dB) in the C-band.     

Comprehensive analysis of two cascaded semiconductor optical amplifiers for all-optical switching operation

This paper presents numerical calculations and experimental results for two cascaded semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) in a counterpropagating configuration for an all-optical switching operation. A detailed theoretical analysis with regard to the gain evolution and the extinction ratio (ER) through the SOAs' cavities show that the two cascaded SOAs have improved performance over the single SOA configuration. A measured ER up to 20 dB is obtained for close contra-directional signal wavelengths and for a wide range of optical input powers. An all-optical switching operation is realized for 2.5-GHz data pulses, and its feasibility is demonstrated with an ER higher than 12 dB over a wide range of wavelength.     

Polarization independent optical phase conjugation with pump-signalfiltering in a monolithically integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometersemiconductor optical amplifier configuration

Demonstration of polarization independent optical phase conjugation by four-wave mixing in a monolithic Mach-Zehnder interferometric semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) configuration. An integrated filtering mechanism for the pump-signal enhances the conjugate-to-pump ratio by 15 dB compared to the single SOA case     

Recipe for intensity modulation reduction in SOA-based interferometric switches

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental analysis of saturated semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-based interferometric switching arrangements. For the first time, it is shown that such devices can provide enhanced intensity modulation reduction to return-to-zero (RZ) formatted input pulse trains, when the SOA is saturated with a strong continuous-wave (CW) input signal. A novel theoretical platform has been developed in the frequency domain, which reveals that the intensity modulation of the input pulse train can be suppressed by more than 10 dB at the output. This stems from the presence of the strong CW signal that transforms the sinusoidal transfer function of the interferometric switch into an almost flat, strongly nonlinear curve. This behavior has also been verified experimentally for both periodically and randomly degraded, in terms of intensity modulation, signals at 10 Gb/s using the ultrafast nonlinear interferometer as the switching device. Performance analysis both in the time and frequency domains is demonstrated, verifying the concept and its theoretical analysis.     

半导体光放大器中超快增益压缩效应与TOAD开关性能优化

在半导体光放大器中当光脉冲小于１０ｐｓ时除了考虑线性增益饱和效应,还必须考虑超快增益压缩效压。本文用数值方法分析了超快增益压缩效应对ＴＨｚ光非对称解复用器（ＴＯＡＤ）的开关特性。经过细致的参数优化,采用２．５ｐｓ控制光,可以克服开关窗的分裂效应,得到一个宽度为２．０ｐｓ,消光比为１３．７ｄＢ的开关窗。     

Characteristics of the Wavelength Converted Signal in Wavelength Conversion Based on Cross-Gain Modulation

An analytical theory describing the frequency chirp characteristics of the wavelength converted signal in wavelength conversion based on cross-gain modulation (XGM) in semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is derived. By computation, we can see that low input pump power, high probe power, small line-width enhancement factor and low unsaturated single-pass gain of the SOA are favorable for reducing the frequency chirp of the wavelength converted signal. The analytical results have significance in understanding and designing wavelength converters.     

All optical wavelength conversion schemes for increased input powerdynamic range

Schemes for increasing the input power dynamic range of interferometric wavelength converters are presented with experiments at 10 Gb/s showing large improvements. A simple conversion scheme that uses current control of the interferometer improves the dynamic range from ~3-~8 dB. A simpler method of inserting an Er-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) before the converter results in more than 40 dB of dynamic range while a method of using a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) for power control gives ~28-dB dynamic range     

Smoothly wavelength-tunable picosecond pulse generation using a harmonically mode-locked fiber ring laser

A simple design of a stable, smoothly wavelength-tunable picosecond pulse generator has been demonstrated using a dispersion-tuned, harmonically mode-locked fiber ring laser with a directly modulated semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The SOA functions as both a polarization-insensitive mode locker and a supermode noise suppressor. Near-linearly chirped pulses are generated and compressed to less than 4 ps when the intracavity dispersion is anomalous while 11-ps, near-transform-limited pulses are generated without compression when the dispersion is normal. Smooth wavelength tuning is achieved over more than 11 nm by only tuning the modulation frequency and pulse characteristics are stable over the entire tuning span. A simple numerical model successively simulates the operation principle of the system. The tuning range is determined by both the gain profile and the total intracavity dispersion. The dispersion and the SOA ensure the long-term stability of the system.