Semiconductor optical amplifier-based nonlinear optical-loop mirror with feedback

Wai Mun Wong; Keith J. Blow

doi:10.1117/12.469641

7 June 2002 Semiconductor optical amplifier-based nonlinear optical-loop mirror with feedback

Wai Mun Wong, Keith J. Blow

Proceedings Volume 4653, WDM and Photonic Switching Devices for Network Applications III; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.469641
Event: Symposium on Integrated Optoelectronic Devices, 2002, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The behavior of a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-based nonlinear loop mirror with feedback has been investigated as a potential device for all-optical signal processing. In the feedback device, input signal pulses (ones) are injected into the loop, and amplified reflected pulses are fed back into the loop as switching pulses. The feedback device has two stable modes of operation - block mode, where alternating blocks of ones and zeros are observed, and spontaneous clock division mode, where halving of the input repetition rate is achieved. Improved models of the feedback device have been developed to study its performance in different operating conditions. The feedback device could be optimized to give a choice of either of the two stable modes by shifting the arrival time of the switching pulses at the SOA. Theoretically, it was found possible to operate the device at only tens of fJ switching pulse energies if the SOA is biased to produce very high gain in the presence of internal loss. The clock division regime arises from the combination of incomplete SOA gain recovery and memory of the startup sequence that is provided by the feedback. Clock division requires a sufficiently high differential phase shift per unit differential gain, which is related to the SOA linewidth enhancement factor.

Citation Download Citation

Wai Mun Wong and Keith J. Blow "Semiconductor optical amplifier-based nonlinear optical-loop mirror with feedback", Proc. SPIE 4653, WDM and Photonic Switching Devices for Network Applications III, (7 June 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.469641

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