研究了基于半导体光放大器(SOA)结合延迟干涉仪(DI)结构的全光波长转换。分析了SOA-DI结构的工作原理和DI参数的作用, 进行了10 Gb/s和40 Gb/s归零码全光波长转换实验研究。实验结果表明, 基于SOA中交叉增益调制(XGM)效应实现的波长转换为反相转换, 输出信号消光比较低, 当工作速率较高时波长转换信号质量明显恶化。而SOA-DI结构可实现同相波长转换并可改善波长转换信号的消光比, 从而改善单个SOA实现波长转换的性能并提高系统的工作速率, 该结构还具有结构简单、可光子集成等优点。

An investigation of all-optical wavelength conversion based on semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and delay interferometer (DI) scheme is presented. The working principle of SOA-DI configuration is explained and the functions of DI parameters are analyzed. Experiments of wavelength conversion at 10 Gb/s and 40 Gb/s for return-to-zero format are demonstrated. The experimental results show that wavelength conversion exploiting cross-gain modulation leads to reversed polarity and degradation of extinction ratio (ER) for the converted signal, and the performance of the wavelength conversion at a high bit rate is degraded. In addition, the results show that the wavelength conversion based on SOA-DI scheme can preserve the data polarity and improve the ER of the converted signal so that the performance of wavelength conversion using one single SOA is improved and the system can operate at a high bit rate. The SOA-DI scheme has advantages of compactness and photonic integration potential.