Ultra high-speed wavelength conversion and regeneration using semiconductor optical amplifiers

Techniques for all optical wavelength conversion and regeneration using semiconductor optical amplifiers are reviewed. In SOA based optical signal processing two (or more) signals are launched into the SOA where they interact due to the nonlinear properties of the active region in gain saturation, allowing the amplitude and phase of one optical signal to be controlled by another optical signal. Depending on the input conditions and topology, this can result in cross gain modulation, cross phase modulation or four wave mixing.