Widely tunable all-optical wavelength converter based on four-wave mixing using two orthogonally polarized pumps

The principle of broad-band orthogonal-pump (BOP) four-wave mixing in semiconductor optical amplifiers is analyzed in theory. The conversion efficiency reduces rapidly as the detuning of wavelength between the signal and pump increase which can be solved by introducing a BOP method. The constant conversion efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio are obtained over a large wavelength detuning range. The wavelength conversion efficiency with variation smaller than 3.88 dB over 52-nm range has been experimentally demonstrated by using BOP, with the 10-GHz output of distributed feedback/electro-absorption modulator as signal. Conventional single-pump scheme is also performed for comparison and the experimental results fit well with the theory.