Abstract

All-optical regenerators are key devices for future all-optical networks, owing to their capability of extending the reach of high bit rate fiber links¹. Several all-optical regenerator schemes have been proposed, based on nonlinear effects in fibers, in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA), or in saturable absorbers (SA). Among these, the SA gates are particularly attractive, owing to their simplicity and their fully passive operating mode (no bias voltage, nor Peltier cooler). However, up to now, the SA gates have only been used for extinction ratio enhancement, which can only reduce the noise variance of the bit-0 symbols. As a result, in order to constitute a complete regenerator, it must be used in combination with another device that can provide level stabilisation at the bit time scale, thereby reducing the amplitude fluctuations of the bit-1 symbols. Fiber-based or SOA-based devices have been used for such a purpose^1,2. However it could be advantageous to rely on a single technology for the complete 2R regeneration.

© 2007 IEEE