Preserving signal integrity in a SOA-based de-multiplexer used in OTDM interconnections

This paper analyzes a pioneering topic in the telecommunications field: how preserving the signal integrity in all-optical ultra-fast signal processing boards with optical interconnects and Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs), probably the most well-known active devices used in the Optical Time Domain Multiplexing systems (OTDM). In particular, it investigates the performances of an attractive SOA-based de-multiplexing architecture which, thanks to the potentialities of integration of these components, appears particularly suitable for being adopted in an OTDM interconnection. The analysis presents a criterion for suppressing the signal degradation, known as pattern- dependence effect, which normally affects the probe signal traversing this type of device, and shows an example of SOA de-multiplexer used in a 100 Gbit/s RZ-OTDM interconnection where the 25 Gb/s tributary channels, are extracted without any significant optical signal degradation.