Title :
Four-wave mixing wavelength conversion efficiency in semiconductor traveling-wave amplifiers measured to 65 nm of wavelength shift
Author :
Zhou, Jianhui ; Park, Namkyoo ; Vahala, Kerry J. ; Newkirk, Michael A. ; Miller, Barry I.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Appl. Phys., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA
Abstract :
The efficiency of broadband optical wavelength conversion by four-wave mixing in semiconductor traveling-wave amplifiers is measured for wavelength shifts up to 65 nm using a tandem amplifier geometry. A quantity we call the relative conversion efficiency function, which determines the strength of the four-wave mixing nonlinearity, was extracted from the data. Using this quantity, gain requirements for lossless four-wave mixing wavelength conversion are calculated and discussed. Signal to background noise ratio is also measured and discussed in this study.<>
Keywords :
multiwave mixing; optical communication equipment; optical frequency conversion; semiconductor lasers; broadband optical wavelength conversion; four-wave mixing nonlinearity; four-wave mixing wavelength conversion efficiency; gain requirements; lossless four-wave mixing wavelength conversion; relative conversion efficiency function; semiconductor traveling-wave amplifiers; signal to background noise ratio; tandem amplifier geometry; wavelength shift; wavelength shifts; Broadband amplifiers; Four-wave mixing; Laser tuning; Optical mixing; Optical saturation; Optical wavelength conversion; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission; Wavelength conversion; Wavelength measurement;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
