Abstract
The optical parametric amplifier (OPA) has attractive features for optical communications, such as a wideband, high gain, and fast transient response. In addition, by using idler light, which is phase-conjugated light generated in the amplification process, various kinds of optical signal processing, such as fiber-nonlinearity mitigation, wavelength conversion, and phase-sensitive amplification, can be performed. A periodically poled LiNbO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> (PPLN) waveguide is an <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">χ</i> <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">(2)</sup> -based optical parametric amplification medium, and it makes both wideband and high-gain amplification possible. We developed a 4-port PPLN module that can combine signal light and pump light into a PPLN waveguide with low loss. In this paper, we overview the applications of OPA to WDM optical fiber transmission and explain the configurations of an OPA using 4-port PPLN modules. As applications of our PPLN-based OPA, we introduce the demonstration of wideband inline amplification exceeding 5 THz. Furthermore, we demonstrate inter-band wavelength conversion between C- and S-bands using PPLN waveguides developed for multi-band optical transmission applications.
Highlights
OPTICAL transport networks using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) and digital coherent technology have been widely deployed
In the region linear with respect to the input power, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received signal is improved as the optical SNR (OSNR) increases given that the SNR of the electrical signal provided to the optical modulator is sufficient
It is well-known that phase-insensitive amplifiers (PIAs) such as erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) output excessive amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise corresponding to a noise figure (NF) of >3 dB
Summary
OPTICAL transport networks using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) and digital coherent technology have been widely deployed. In deployed WDM transmission systems, EDFAs, which typically have a 4-THz amplification bandwidth in the C- or Lbands, are widely used as inline optical repeaters. Phase-sensitive amplification is a method of obtaining additional gain by causing coherent superposition between signal light and idler light during the optical parametric amplification process With this additional coherent gain, the PSA can realize ultra-lownoise optical amplification that is below the 3-dB NF limit of PIAs. As described above, by using idler light, the OPA can perform all-optical signal processing that improves the SNR outperforming conventional limits by compensating for nonlinear distortion and suppressing ASE noise. There have been no demonstrations of WDM fiber transmission with simultaneous wideband optical parametric amplification outperforming the EDFA band. We demonstrated inline-amplified transmission using PPLN-based OPA-only repeaters with an over-5-THz WDM signal [8]. We fabricated PPLN modules with a center wavelength of the amplification bandwidth between C- and S-bands and demonstrate simultaneous wavelength conversion between the C- and S-bands
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