Recent progress in parametric amplification and signal processing

Recent advances in fiber parametric amplifiers are reviewed. The physics, operation and applications of two-pump parametric fiber amplifiers are described. Methods for broadband, equalized parametric gain exceeding that of conventional EDFAs are discussed. The inherent nonlinear nature of parametric amplifiers forms a basis for all-optical signal processing. Optical regeneration in high-order, two-pump parametric amplifiers is described and demonstrated. All-optical penalty reversal using polarization-invariant signal conjugation is discussed and described over multiple SMF spans