Applications of SOAs in ultra-high speed optical networking

Summary form only given. The use of SOA on high speed wavelength conversion and channel demultiplexing is reviewed. The use of SOA in a differentially mode operated interferometric structure is suggested to overcome slow recovery time during high speed wavelength conversion. An alternative, highly successful way to overcome the slow gain recovery speed of the SOA is to exploit the ultrafast chirp properties associated with the gain saturation in the SOA. Four wave mixing (FWM) process occurring in SOAs could also support higher bit rates.