Semiconductor Optical Amplifier Research Articles

Engineering Nonlinear Effects of Quantum-Well Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers for Applications in Optical Signal Processing

Quantum-well semiconductor optical amplifiers (QW-SOAs) have been widely used in all-optical signal processing functions because of their various nonlinear effects. For different optical signal processing functions, the requirements for performance of the QW-SOAs are different, and nonlinear effects of the QW-SOAs should be controlled selectively. Engineering nonlinear effects of QW-SOA is very important for different applications in optical signal processing. Here, a comprehensive QW-SOA model by combining the QW band structure calculation with the dynamic model is established to connect the structure parameters with the nonlinear effects of QW-SOA. Those characterized parameters of the QW-SOAs, such as gain coefficient, differential gain coefficient, refractive index change, differential refractive index change, linewidth enhancement factor, third-order susceptibility and polarization dependent gain, are used to characterize the nonlinear effects, and are calculated with different structure parameters based on this developed model. Take the wavelength conversion based on cross gain modulation effect and four wave mixing effect as examples, the structure parameters of the QW-SOAs are optimized for engineering the nonlinear effects and achieving the best output performance. This theoretical work presents a guide for choosing the optimized structure parameters while fabricating the QW-SOAs for different optical signal processing functions

Continuous wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy incorporating with an off-axis arrangement, white noise perturbation, and optical re-injection

We present an ultra-sensitive continuous wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy (cw-CRDS) spectrometer to record high resolution spectra of reactive radicals and ions in a pulsed supersonic plasma. The spectrometer employs a home-made external cavity diode laser as the tunable light source, with its wavelength modulated by radio-frequency white noise. The ringdown cavity with a finesse of ∼105 is arranged with an off-axis alignment. The combination of the off-axis cavity and the white-noise perturbed laser yields quasi-continuum laser-cavity coupling without the need of mode matching. The cavity is further incorporated with an extra multi-pass cavity for optical re-injection of light reflected off the master cavity, which significantly increases the throughput power of the high-finesse cavity. A fast switchable semiconductor optical amplifier is used to modulate the cw laser beam to square wave pulses and to initialize timing controlled ringdown events, which are synchronized to the plasma pulses with an accuracy of ∼3 µs. The performance and potential of the cw-CRDS spectrometer are illustrated and discussed, based on the high resolution near-infrared spectroscopic detection of trace 13C13C radicals generated in a pulsed supersonic C2H2/Ar plasma with a pulse duration of ∼50 µs.

Research on all-optical half adder based on cross-gain modulation in quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier

Research on all-optical half adder based on cross-gain modulation in quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier

Bidynamical all-optical reservoir computing for parallel task processing.

A bidynamical all-optical reservoir computing (RC) system for parallel task processing is proposed based on a unidirectional semiconductor optical amplifier optical fiber loop. The polarization dynamics and intensity dynamics are excited by the input signals injected into the reservoir via phase modulation and intensity modulation, respectively. Simultaneous computation of two independent tasks is implemented based on the dynamical responses in polarization and intensity of the optical fiber loop. To our knowledge, this is the first time that two kinds of dynamical responses of an all-optical RC system are used as independent task processing channels to implement parallel task processing. The proposed RC system can achieve good parallel task processing performance with low system cost.

C + L band ultra-widely tunable SOA hybrid fiber laser based on acousto-optic add-drop filter induced by polarization conversion

Scientific and industrial applications have put forward new requirements for the wavelength tuning range of continuous-wave lasers. Herein, the constructed filter based on the acoustically-induced polarization conversion in single-mode fiber (SMF) covers the wavelength from 1464.2–1640.8 nm, and the tuning range is about ∼176.6 nm. The lasing wavelength is managed by the acousto-optical interaction in the SMF. Moreover, the gain spectrum of semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is flat and wide, which can achieve a wide range of laser tuning. Hence, we propose and demonstrate an ultra-widely tuning range ring cavity C + L tunable SOA hybrid fiber laser. Eventually, the tuning channel of the fiber laser is from 1527.3–1613 nm with the tuning range of about ∼85.7 nm, and its tuning range is determined by the gain bandwidth of SOA. The measured output power and center wavelength variations of the proposed fiber laser over a long-term observation are less than 0.11 mW and 0.44 nm, respectively. This work opens up a new way to expand the tuning range of other types of lasers.

Performance amelioration of simultaneous up- and down-mixing contingent on a parallel SOA-MZIs design

The primary focus of this research is the creation of a first-ever experimental investigation for simultaneous up-down mixing based on three parallel semiconductor optical amplifier Mach-Zehnder interferometers (SOA-MZIs). The three mixed signals from the SOA-MZI terminals are coupled together to create a simultaneous up or down-mixed signal using an optical coupler (OC). The identified mixing function makes use of the consequences of cross-gain modulation (XGM) as well as cross-phase modulation (XPM) that have been shown at the SOA-MZI outlets. Furthermore, the performance characterization of the photonic parallel system is examined and assessed in the optical and electrical sectors. The outcomes of our experiment closely resemble those of the simulation. Several measurable factors, including power scaling measurements, optical conversion gain (OCG), power stability, beam quality factor, electrical conversion gain (ECG), and error vector magnitude (EVM), are employed to evaluate the photonic up and down-mixed signals. This three-parallel SOA-MZIs architecture has a wide range of applications involving radio over fiber and optical telecommunications. A 256-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) up- and down-mixed signals can have a top bit rate of 64 Gbit/s with excellent EVM values. Additionally, the maximal frequency range of the concurrent up and down-mixed signal is 80 GHz. The ECG also displays significant values for up and down conversion. In the optical domain, the OCG has the highest values of 15 dB for the up-mixed signal and 12 dB for the down-mixed one, with a data input power of −10 dBm. Finally, the simultaneous mixing system tackles an outstanding beam quality factor with M2 measurement of less than 1.3 (M2<1.3).

Design and analysis of SOA-MZI based optical digital circuits for high speed optical networks

This paper explores using Semiconductor Optical Amplifier assisted Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (SOA-MZI) configuration for designing various all-optical digital circuits. A specific focus on the design and analysis of all-optical inverters, decimal-to-binary code converters, and hexa decimal-to-binary code converters operating at a speed of 10 Gbps is given. These circuits employ OR, XOR, and NOR gates. The SOA-MZI configuration capitalizes on the nonlinear properties of the SOA to achieve all-optical logic functions. Phase modulation can be transformed into intensity modulation by incorporating the SOA within an interferometer setup and using 3-dB couplers. The Cross-Phase Modulation (XPM) technique, which offers superior performance compared to other types of SOA non-linearity, is employed to make the incoming signal insensitive to polarization. The system was analyzed using an optisystem. The performance achieved was 0.0109 in terms of Eye height, 3.45 e−70 in terms of Bit Error Rate (BER), and 17.66 in terms of Q-factor.

Experimental study of four-wave mixing based on a quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifier

The article is devoted to the study of four-wave mixing (FWM) in a semiconductor optical amplifier with quantum dots (QD-SOA). Experimental measurements of FWM signals are characterized in nonlinear media of GaAs-based QD-SOA with gain in the 1,550 nm region. Theoretical part of nonlinear effect of FWM is studied and important all-optical communication applications are listed. Experimental studies of a four-wave system are described and an analysis of FWM signals is given for various input powers of pump signals and injection currents. The devices are compared in terms of such parameters as conversion efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio. The results of the study made it possible to reveal the possibility of the effect of FWM signals on useful signals in channels with spectral division multiplexing wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) in the downstream and upstream in a semiconductor optical amplifier. Based on the experimental results, it was concluded that FWM does not affect adjacent channels of WDM signals and does not generate additional optical noise when scaling the WDM gigabit passive optical network (GPON) up to 60 km using semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs).

Tracking of Gaussian pulse release length inside mode-locked semiconductor laser amplifier

The behavior of the optical pulse release was investigated during chirped pulses amplification, which consisted of two chirped fiber Bragg grating and one semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). This occurred when the pulse width, &amp;lt;&amp;lt; carrier lifetime , as well as the effect of the length parameter on the shape and spectrum of the electric field, intensity, and phase of amplified pulses, were taken into consideration. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of release length on the temporal electric field laser amplifier while simultaneously generating optical pulses with the help of a mode-locked laser system semiconductor. In the scenario where τp and τc are taken into account, we discovered that the length of the release has a significant impact on the modes of the phase and the electric field.

Discretely Tunable (2594, 2629, 2670 nm) GaSb/Si3N4 Hybrid Laser for Multiwavelength Spectroscopy

AbstractA discrete, tunable photonic integrated laser is showcased for multiwavelength spectroscopy of CO2, H2S, and H2O. The laser combines an AlGaInAsSb/GaSb type‐I quantum well‐reflective semiconductor optical amplifier with a Si3N4 photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Operating at room temperature, the laser emits at 2670.42, 2629.12, and 2594.27 nm, with mW‐level average powers. The PIC employs a novel approach for achieving switching between three distinct emission wavelengths by using two cascaded tunable Mach–Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) that are connected to three spiral‐shaped narrow‐band distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). Phase tuning the arms of the MZIs allows the laser emission wavelength to be switched between the DBRs, while the DBRs themselves offer fine‐tuning of the emission wavelength. This design enables a simpler tuning mechanism with fewer control variables compared to hybrid PIC‐based lasers using Vernier architectures or a combination of multiple semiconductor amplifiers. Low‐loss and broadband MZIs are achieved by employing two interconnected directional couplers, which utilize asymmetric waveguides in the coupling region to effectively control the phase. Besides achieving state‐of‐the‐art performance for Si3N4‐based integrated lasers at 2.6 µm wavelength region, the demonstrated performance of passive components, including MZIs and spiral DBRs, opens new possibilities for mid‐infrared PIC technology.

Two-axis MEMS positioner for waveguide alignment in silicon nitride photonic integrated circuits.

Alignment is critical for efficient integration of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators have shown potential to tackle this issue. In this work, we report MEMS positioning actuators designed with the ultimate goal of aligning silicon nitride (SiN) waveguides either to different outputs within a SiN chip or to active chips, such as lasers and semiconductor optical amplifiers. For the proof-of-concept, suspended SiN waveguides implemented on a silicon-on-insulator wafer were displaced horizontally in the direction of light propagation to close an initial gap of 6.92 µm and couple the light to fixed output waveguides located on a static section of the chip. With the gap closed, the suspended waveguides showed ∼ 345 nm out-of-plane misalignment with respect to the fixed waveguides. The suspended waveguides can be displaced laterally by more than ±2 µm. When the waveguides are aligned and the gap closed, an average loss of -1.6 ± 0.06 dB was achieved, whereas when the gap is closed with a ± 2 µm lateral displacement, a maximum average loss of ∼ -19.00 ± 0.62 dB was obtained. The performance of this positioner does not only pave the way for active chip alignment, but it could also be considered for optical switching applications.

Efficiency-boosted semiconductor optical amplifiers via mode-division multiplexing

Semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) are a fundamental building block for many photonic systems. However, their power inefficiency has been setting back operational cost reduction, circuit miniaturization, and the realization of more complex photonic functions such as large-scale switches and optical phased arrays. In this work, we demonstrate significant gain and efficiency enhancement using an extra degree of freedom of light—the mode space. This is done without changing the SOA’s material design, and therefore high versatility and compatibility can be obtained. Light is multiplexed in different guided modes and reinjected into the same gain section twice without introducing resonance, doubling the interaction length in a broadband manner. Up to 87% higher gain and 300% higher wall-plug efficiency are obtained in a double-pass SOA compared to a conventional single-pass SOA, at the same operating current, in the wavelength range of 1560–1580 nm.

A Review of High-Power Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers in the 1550 nm Band.

The 1550 nm band semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) has great potential for applications such as optical communication. Its wide-gain bandwidth is helpful in expanding the bandwidth resources of optical communication, thereby increasing total capacity transmitted over the fiber. Its relatively low cost and ease of integration also make it a high-performance amplifier of choice for LiDAR applications. In recent years, with the rapid development of quantum-well (QW) material systems, SOAs have gradually overcome the shortcomings of polarization sensitivity and high noise. The research on quantum-dot (QD) materials has further improved the noise characteristics and transmission loss of SOAs. The design of special waveguide structures-such as plate-coupled optical waveguide amplifiers and tapered amplifiers-has also increased the saturation output power of SOAs. The maximum gain of the SOA has been reported to be more than 21 dB. The maximum saturation output power has been reported to be more than 34.7 dBm. The maximum 3 dB gain bandwidth has been reported to be more than 120 nm, the lowest noise figure has been reported to be less than 4 dB, and the lowest polarization-dependent gain has been reported to be 0.1 dB. This study focuses on the improvement and enhancement of the main performance parameters of high-power SOAs in the 1550 nm band and introduces the performance parameters, the research progress of high-power SOAs in the 1550 nm band, and the development and application status of SOAs. Finally, the development trends and prospects of high-power SOAs in the 1550 nm band are summarized.

Analytical modeling and bit sequence impact investigation of XPM-SMZI-induced nonlinear crosstalk in 4 × 4 interconnect

This paper presents an analytical model of the origin of nonlinear crosstalk induced by the XPM-SMZI (Cross-Phase Modulation-Symmetric Mach–Zehnder Interferometric) phenomenon occurring in the TWSOA (Traveling Wave Semiconductor Optical Amplifier). We analyze the variation of nonlinear crosstalk with increasing logic levels and length of the input bit sequence. The investigation shows that alteration in high and low logic of bit sequence engenders changes in cross-phase modulation occurring in TWSOA and hence brings nonlinear crosstalk into the picture. The performance is evaluated on 4×4 switching interconnect with a TWSOA cavity length of 500[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, a width of 3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, and a height of 0.8[Formula: see text]nm with 0.15[Formula: see text]A injection current in SMZI configuration operating at 10[Formula: see text]Gbps. The performance of the switch is also tested by comparing various combinations of bit logic inputs. The degradation is observed in the quality of service with an increase in the number of ‘1’s in bit sequence. The Extinction Ratio (ER) also deteriorates when a logic ‘1’s appears at consecutive places. This impairment in ER can be controlled by bias conditions of TWSOA. The promising crosstalk of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]dB has been achieved and is further validated by comparing with previously reported techniques.

High-resolution X-ray diffraction to probe quantum dot asymmetry

The symmetry of nanostructures forming an active part of optoelectronic devices severely impacts their properties. It is crucial for the design of polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers or sources of entangled photon pairs. We show how quantum dot symmetry can be measured, including atomic force microscopy and polarization-resolved spectroscopy. We discuss the drawbacks of the typical approaches for nanostructure symmetry detection and propose a way to determine quantum dot geometrical aspect ratio based on high-resolution X-ray diffraction. The offered method provides a non-destructive insight into crystal lattice disturbances reflecting in-plane quantum dot geometrical aspect ratio.

Performance-enhanced time-delayed photonic reservoir computing system using a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier.

We propose a time-delayed photonic reservoir computing (RC) architecture utilizing a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) as an active mirror. The performance of the proposed RC structure is investigated by two benchmark tasks, namely the Santa Fe time-series prediction task and the nonlinear channel equalization task. The simulation results show that both the prediction and equalization performance of the proposed system are significantly improved with the contribution of RSOA, with respect to the traditional RC system using a mirror. By increasing the drive current of the RSOA, the greater nonlinearity of the RSOA gain saturation is achieved, as such the prediction and equalization performance are enhanced. It is also shown that the proposed RC architecture shows a wider consistency interval and superior robustness than the traditional RC structure for most of the measured parameters such as coupling strength, injection strength, and frequency detuning. This work provides a performance-enhanced time-delayed RC structure by making use of the nonlinear transformation of the RSOA feedback.

Stable Triple-Wavelength Random Fiber Laser Based on Fiber Bragg Gratings

We demonstrate a generation of three lasing wavelengths with the assistance of Rayleigh backscattering as the stabilizer of peak power variations. The proposed laser consists of a combination of the semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) as the amplifying media. Three fiber Bragg gratings are employed as the selective wavelength selectors at 1544, 1547 and 1550 nm. At 110 mA SOA current and 18 dBm EDFA output power, a flattened output spectrum with 0.9 dB peak power variation is attained. In terms of stability, the maximum peak power fluctuation for the individual laser is 0.24 dB within 120 minutes observation period. Without the Rayleigh backscattering effect, the peak power flatness is severely degraded. This shows that the weakly distributed photons can be utilized as peak power stabilizers in fiber laser systems.

Quantum optical tristate Toffoli gate using frequency encoding principle of light with semiconductor optical amplifier

Quantum optical tristate Toffoli gate using frequency encoding principle of light with semiconductor optical amplifier

Analysis of atmospheric attenuation of a FSO–WDM system for long-range communication

Abstract An FSO system can provide a solution to the problem of last-mile connectivity while also offering a high degree of security and a large capacity for high-speed information transmission, making it a versatile and powerful option for data communication. Despite the above-mentioned advantages, some factors have to be considered when establishing long-range communication, one such factor is atmospheric turbulence (haze, light fog, moderate fog) which degrades the ideal characteristics of the FSO channel and causes a loss in the signal’s power. This loss of power during transmission can be improved by using suitable amplifiers (hybrid optical amplifier, semiconductor optical amplifier) to provide better performance. The next-generation networks must be capable of supporting a significant amount of backhaul data traffic, accommodating a larger number of users, and increasing channel capacity to meet the demands of modern data communication. By implementing wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and free space optical (FSO) communication techniques, the capacity of the channel can be increased, and more users can be accommodated. The maximum link length offered by the FSO–WDM system has been investigated with hybrid optical amplifier considering the minimum bit error rate, which can provide reliable and long-distance communication.

Tunable Multiwavelength SOA-Based Fiber Laser

Tunable multiwavelength fiber lasers based on semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) have received attracting interest due to their wide prospective applications in dense division multiplexing (DWDM) systems and optical sensing. Using an SOA in a nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM), we demonstrate up to 13 lasing peaks by controlling the pump current and the polarization controller. At maximum pump current (450 mA), the emitted multiwavelength is between 1550 nm and 1572 nm with a wavelength spacing of 1.87 nm and 3 dB output linewidth of 0.8 nm with an output power of −7 dBm and 27 dB optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR). The multiwavelength output power and multiwavelength peak stability are investigated, and it was found that the power fluctuation of each multiwavelength line is less than 0.2 dB. In addition, by adjusting the polarization controllers (PCs) and SOA temperature, we obtained a tunable multiwavelength emission. The proposed fiber laser offers advantages such as simple structure, low loss, and long-time stable and multiwavelength emission.