Open Access40 Gb/s wavelength conversion via four-wave mixing in a quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier
Author(s) -
C. Meuer,
Carsten SchmidtLanghorst,
H. Schmeckebier,
G. Fiol,
D. Arsenijević,
C. Schubert,
D. Bimberg
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.19.003788
Subject(s) - optical amplifier , optics , wavelength , physics , energy conversion efficiency , four wave mixing , optoelectronics , materials science , nonlinear optics , laser
The static and dynamic characteristics of degenerate four-wave mixing in a quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifier are investigated. A high chip conversion efficiency of 1.5 dB at 0.3 nm detuning, a low (< 5 dB) asymmetry of up and down conversion and a spectral conversion range of 15 nm with an optical signal-to-noise ratio above 20 dB is observed. The comparison of pumping near the gain peak and at the edge of the gain spectrum reveals the optical signal-to-noise ratio as the crucial parameter for error-free wavelength conversion. Small-signal bandwidths well beyond 40 GHz and 40 Gb/s error-free 5 nm wavelength down conversion with penalties below 1 dB are presented. Due to the optical signal-to-noise ratio limitation, wavelength up conversion is error-free at a pump wavelength of 1311 nm with a penalty of 2.5 dB, whereas an error floor is observed for pumping at 1291 nm. A dual pump configuration is demonstrated, to extend the wavelength conversion range enabling 15.4 nm error-free wavelength up conversion with 3.5 dB penalty caused by the additional saturation of the second pump. This is the first time that 40 Gb/s error-free wavelength conversion via four-wave mixing in quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers is presented.