Improving signal quality in a spectrum-sliced WDM system using SOA-based noise reduction

We present an experimental and numerical study into the filtering effects in a spectrum-sliced incoherent light system incorporating a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) for noise reduction. Techniques to reduce the signal degradation caused by post-SOA filtering are investigated. The alignment of the receiver/demultiplexer filter relative to the input spectrum-slice is demonstrated to have a noticeable impact on the received signal quality. We also show that the linewidth enhancement factor α of the SOA has a marked effect on the observed spectral distortion, which results in a strong dependence of the received signal quality on α. Our results illustrate the potential to improve system performance by optimized SOA design.