Intensity noise reduction of incoherent light using semiconductor optical amplifiers

We review the use of a semiconductor optical amplifier for intensity noise reduction of incoherent sources and describe our recent experimental and theoretical work in this area. We focus in particular on understanding the physical mechanisms underpinning the noise reduction process and which govern the associated spectral broadening. We also describe in detail how onward filtering and transmission degrade the noise reduction and impact use of the technique within a high density spectrum-sliced system.