Switching efficiency of ultrafast nonlinear interferometer as an optical time division demultiplexer

Abstract

All-optical time-domain demultiplexers are expected to play a major role in future ultrafast all-optical time division multiplexing systems to overcome the electronic bottleneck. Ultrafast nonlinear interferometer (UNI) is a good candidate for all-optical time-division demultiplexing. The switching efficiency of UNI is investigated numerically. We construct an analysis model of the UNI. In our analysis, the effects of control pulse parameters such as pulsewidth, power and jitter on the switching efficiency of UNI are considered. The required peak power of the control pulse to obtain maximum switching efficiency is found to decrease in as the width of the control pulse is increased. Jitter of control pulse reduces the switching efficiency. It is also noticed that the length of birefringent fiber is no contribution to the switching efficiency. However, more than 90 percent switching efficiency could be reached when the control pulsewidth varied 40 percent, when pulse power is in 40 percent or when the jitter is about 3 percent.