C. Joergensen

All optical wavelength conversion by SOA's in a Mach-Zehnder configuration

Penalty free wavelength conversion is demonstrated at 2.5 Gbit/s over a wavelength span of 12 nm by the use of semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)s in a Mach-Zehnder configuration. An increase in the extinction ratio is measured for the converted signal compared to the input signal implying signal regeneration as well as wavelength conversion.<<ETX>>

Optical packet switched network layer without optical buffers

We propose a configuration for a packet switched wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) network including a simple wavelength assignment scheme for data packets. Combined with the use of the wavelength dimension for contention resolution, this reduces the need for optical buffers and when more than 11 WDM channels are used for transmitting data in the optical domain the buffers can be avoided.

Detailed theoretical investigation of the input power dynamic range for gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier gates at 10 Gb/s

A detailed theoretical investigation of the input power dynamic range for gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier (GC-SOA) gates at 10 Gb/s is presented. We show that although the gain is clamped, the dynamic changes of the carrier distribution in the GC-SOA causes pattern effects on a time scale given by the relaxation frequency of the GC-SOA. Combined with a higher noise figure compared to a conventional SOA, this results in a dynamic range only /spl sim/0.5 dB better than for an optimized SOA gate.

4 Gb/s optical wavelength conversion using semiconductor optical amplifiers

Semiconductor optical amplifiers used for efficient wavelength conversion up to 4 Gb/s are discussed. The rise and fall times as well as extinction ratio are experimentally analyzed. System performance at 4 Gb/s is evaluated showing a penalty of only 1.5 dB for the converted signal for conversion over 17 nm.<<ETX>>

An all-optical wavelength-converter with semiconductor optical amplifiers monolithically integrated in an asymmetric passive Mach-Zehnder interferometer

An all-optical wavelength-converter based on monolithic integration of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and integrated semiconductor optical amplifiers was demonstrated. This device exhibited high stability, penalty-free conversion at 5 Gbit/s (at a BER of 10/sup 9/), no-excess penalty after a transmission over 60 km on standard fiber, and low signal-polarization dependency. The device operated in a 26-nm-wide optical window.<<ETX>>

Wavelength conversion by optimized monolithic integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Semiconductor optical amplifiers have been monolithic integrated in a passive symmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer to form a compact polarization insensitive all-optical wavelength converter operating at up to 10 Gb/s. A simple method for reducing the impact of input power variations is proposed that increases the input power dynamic range from 4-8 dB.

10 Gb/s operation of a multiwavelength buffer architecture employing a monolithically integrated all-optical interferometric Michelson wavelength converter

Optical cell buffering at 10 Gb/s is accomplished with a new simple multiwavelength fiber loop memory technique. The architecture uses wavelength converters to select the cell delay and in the experiment wavelength conversion is obtained by use of a monolithically integrated Michelson interferometer employing semiconductor optical amplifiers.

Analysis of interferometric crosstalk in optical switch blocks using moment generating functions

A detailed statistical model describing the detection process in case of interferometric crosstalk is derived. The complexity of the model is independent of the number of crosstalk channels, opposite to the complexity of a modified Gaussian approximation that increases with the number of crosstalk channels. Using our new model, we analyze crosstalk induced power penalty in optical switch blocks as a function of switch size, crosstalk levels and receiver decision thresholds.

Optical Wavelength Converters - Techniques and System Aspects

Optical wavelength conversion will be a key function in photonic networks. Therefore the development of effective and practical all-optical wavelength converters is subject to considerable attention. Here, the application is outlined and the performance of wavelength conversion by semiconductor optical amplifiers reviewed.

Self-phase modulation induced transmission penalty reduction in a 5 Gbit/s FM/AM conversion system experiment over 205 km of standard fiber

The transmission penalty of a standard non-dispersion shifted fiber is experimentally demonstrated to be reduced by self-phase modulation due to the optical Kerr effect. A 2 dB reduction of transmission penalty is achieved in a 5 Gbit/s FM/AM conversion system experiment over 205 km of fiber. The origin of the transmission penalty change is discussed for clarification of the important interaction between modulation induced frequency chirp, self-phase modulation and group velocity dispersion in systems with high-power transmitters.<<ETX>>