K. Daub

10 Gb/s wavelength conversion with integrated multiquantum-well-based 3-port Mach-Zehnder interferometer

All-optical wavelength conversion of 10 Gb/s data with simultaneous regeneration of the extinction ratio is achieved by means of a monolithic 3-port Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The reported devices are based on an all active multiquantum-well waveguide structure with optical amplifiers in the input/output gates. Wavelength conversion is realized by optical cross-phase modulation in a counter propagative operation mode without applying an optical filter. The 3-port Mach-Zehnder interferometer can provide either inversion or noninversion of wavelength converted 10 Gb/s data.

10 Gbit/s monolithic MQW-based wavelength converter in Michelson interferometer configuration

Summary form only given. In conclusion, we have reported on the first successful 10 Gbit/s operation of a compact MQW interferometric wavelength converter. The bandwidth was increased compared to previously reported MQW-based structures taking advantage of higher differential gain and optical confinement factor as achieved by optimizing the MQW layer structure.

WDM cross-connect cascade based on all-optical wavelength converters for routing and wavelength slot interchanging using a reduced number of internal wavelengths

Summary form only given. Optical transport layers need rearrangeable wavelength-division multiplexing optical cross-connects (OXCs) to increase the capacity and flexibility of the network. It has previously been shown that a cross-connect based on all-optical wavelength converters for routing as well as wavelength slot interchanging can be used to create a robust and nonblocking OXC. However, for an OXC with n fiber inlets each carrying m wavelengths the OXC requires n/spl times/m internal wavelengths, which constrains the size of the cross-connect. In this paper we therefore propose and demonstrate an architecture that uses a reduced set of internal wavelengths without sacrificing cross-connecting capabilities. By inserting a partly equipped OXC with the new architecture in a 10-Gbit/s re-circulating loop setup we demonstrate the possibility of cascading up to ten OXCs. Furthermore, we investigate the regenerating effect of the OXC on signals that suffer from interferometric crosstalk.

All-optical 40-Gbit/s compact integrated interferometric wavelength converter

An interferometric Michelson wavelength converter is presented that combines a speed-optimized semiconductor optical amplifier technology with the benefits of the integrated interferometer showing 40-Gbit/s wavelength conversion. The optimized wavelength converter demonstrates noninverted converted signals as well as converts to both shorter and longer wavelengths. Excellent results are achieved with /spl sim/10 dB extinction ratio and more than 25 dB signal-to-ASE (amplified spontaneous emission) ratio (1 nm) for the converted signals at 40 Gbit/s.

Polarization insensitive interferometric wavelength converter with tensile strained InGaAs/InGaAsP MQW structure

Compact monolithic wavelength converters based on integrated three-port Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) structure are realized for the first time with strongly reduced polarization sensitivity due to incorporation of tensile strained MQW active layers. The (InGaAs/InGaAsP) MQW structures are grown by LP MOVPE on full 2 inch n-InP substrates. By fine adjustment of tensile strain (varied between -0.3 and -0.45%) the optimum conditions to achieve equalized gain for TE and TM modes have been identified in accordance with modelling results. Assessment of static and dynamic all-optical wavelength conversion performance has been done for the MZI devices. Best results for TE/TM ratio are obtained for MZI wavelength converters with -0.34% tensile strain. A TE/TM ratio /spl les/1 dB is achieved within a 20 nm wavelength conversion window. Penalty-free 2.5 Gbit/s polarization-insensitive all-optical wavelength conversion including extinction ratio improvement is demonstrated.

Progress in Y laser technology: Towards application specific designs

The interferometric Y laser has been shown to be a multifunctional device with frequency, space and time processing capabilities, suitable for numerous photonic switching and optical communication applications. Its characteristic feature is the broadband wavelength tunability across the whole spectrum of the semiconductor gain profile. The authors report on recent advances in Y laser technology leading to strong improvements of device properties, and first modifications and optimizations of the original structures making the components ready for system implementation. Various device geometry optimizations are under progress for different system requirements and applications. These structural and technological modifications together with some first experimentally obtained device characteristics are described.<<ETX>>