Title :
All improved semiconductor optical amplifier for ultrafast all-optical signal processing
Author :
Manning, R.J. ; Kelly, A.E. ; Poustie, A.J. ; Blow, K.J.
Author_Institution :
BT Labs., Ipswich, UK
Abstract :
The use of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) as optical nonlinear elements has had a profound effect on the field of all-optical signal processing for telecommunications applications. The invention of the TOAD (terahertz all-optical asymmetric demultiplexer), and the subsequent discovery that switching rates much faster than the natural recovery rate of the SOA are possible, has allowed all-optical demultiplexing at high switching rates (>1OGHz). In the paper we use a SOA which has been designed to have a larger band-gap than usual, having a gain peak at ~1500 nm. This improves the both the contrast ratio and the amplitude modulation associated with TOAD arrangement
Keywords :
amplitude modulation; demultiplexing equipment; high-speed optical techniques; optical information processing; optical modulation; optical switches; optical transmitters; semiconductor optical amplifiers; 10 GHz; 1500 nm; TOAD arrangement; all-optical demultiplexing; amplitude modulation; band-gap; contrast ratio; gain peak; optical nonlinear elements; recovery rate; semiconductor optical amplifier; switching rates; telecommunications applications; terahertz all-optical asymmetric demultiplexer; ultrafast all-optical signal processing; Amplitude modulation; Demultiplexing; Nonlinear optical devices; Nonlinear optics; Optical signal processing; Photonic band gap; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission; Telecommunication switching; Ultrafast optics;
Conference_Titel :
Nonlinear Optics '98: Materials, Fundamentals and Applications Topical Meeting
Conference_Location :
Kauai, HI
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-4950-4
DOI :
10.1109/NLO.1998.710243
