Wavelength and intensity sampling of optical signals using semiconductor optical amplifiers

Summary form only given. All-optical sampling of pulses is important for characterizing high-speed TDM systems. Many all-optical sampling techniques have been developed, but often measure only the intensity profile and not the wavelength profile. We demonstrate and compare three measurement techniques using semiconductor optical amplifiers to directly obtain the intensity and wavelength profiles (chirp) of an unknown optical pulse with resolution of about 1 ps and without extensive computation. The presented techniques have in common that a synchronized short probe pulse is used to sample a broader signal pulse. The interaction between these pulses is, however, mediated through different mechanisms, namely four-wave-mixing, gain saturation, and interferometric switching.