Progress in Multichannel All-Optical Regeneration Based on Fiber Technology

Abstract

Abstract-Multi-wavelength all-optical regeneration has the potential to substantially increase both the capacity and scalability of future optical networks. In this paper we review recent promising developments in this area. First we recall the basic principles of multi-channel regeneration of high bit rate signals in optical communication systems before discussing the current technological approaches. We then describe in detail two fiber-based multi-channel 2R regeneration techniques for RZ-OOK based on (a) dispersion managed systems and (b) direction and polarization multiplexing. We present results illustrating the levels of performance so far achieved and discuss various practical issues and prospects for further performance enhancement.Index Terms-Nonlinear optical, devices; Kerr effect; signal regeneration; nonlinear optical signal processing; ultrafast processes in fibers.

Phase Regeneration of QPSK Signal in SOA Using Single-Stage, Wavelength Converting PSA

“…However, this approach is often marred by the difficulty in isolating the regenerated channels from each other during processing [1], [2], which either requires complicated optical schemes, or presents difficult engineering challenges, such as dispersion management in highly nonlinear fibre (HNLF). Processing multiple signals individually, each in their own spatially separated nonlinear medium, is perhaps a straight-forward alternative, even though it might not carry all of the scaling benefits that are often associated with all-optical signal processing.…”

Multi-Channel Phase Regenerator Based on Polarization-Assisted Phase-Sensitive Amplification

“…Optical processing of state-of-the-art spectrally-efficient modulation format signals can potentially offer energy and cost reductions over electronic processing when advantage is taken of their ability both to process very broad optical bandwidths and many signals at the same time [1][2][3]. They usually also offer format flexibility and ultra-fast processing speeds.…”

Multi-channel all-optical signal processing based on parametric effects

“…Multi-wavelength nonlinear optical processing has been explored for a number of years as a challenging problem to address (see e.g. [2,3]), impeded mainly by nonlinear crosstalk between the various waves that co-exist simultaneously in the same nonlinear medium. This challenge is easier to address when the power of the signals involved can be kept at low levels, in which case they interact strongly with a much more powerful pump, but not with each other.…”