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We characterize silicon waveguide based wavelength converters using a commercial semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) based wavelength converter as a benchmark. Conversion efficiency as high as -5.5 dB can be achieved using a 2.5 cm long sub-micron silicon-on-insulator rib waveguide. Comparison with the SOA reveals that silicon offers broader conversion bandwidth, higher OSNR, and negligible channel crosstalk. The impact of two-photon absorption and free carrier absorption on the conversion efficiency and the dependence of the efficiency on the rib waveguide dimensions are investigated theoretically. Using a nonlinear index coefficient of 4x10(-14) cm(2)/W for silicon, we obtain good agreement between simulations and measurements.

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Measurements to date of the wavelength dependency of gain recovery time in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) have mostly used pump-probe techniques with a pump and probe operated on distinct wavelengths. Choice of pump wavelength, and its relative proximity to the probe wavelength, could influence measurements and impede unambiguous observation of wavelength dependence on recovery dynamics. We use a single-color pump-probe measurement technique to directly access the wavelength dependence of the gain recovery time in bulk InGaAsP SOAs. We used ultrashort pulses from a single mode locked laser to measure unambiguously the spectral dependency and temporal behavior of SOAs. Simulation results using a model that takes into account intra-band and inter-band contributions to SOA saturation, as well as experimental results for the SOA tested, show recovery rate dependency similar to gain spectrum.