Optical Phase Conjugation Conversion through a Nonlinear Bidirectional Semiconductor Optical Amplifier Configuration

Abstract

The optical phase conjugation (OPC) process is thoughtfully investigated in a nonlinear bidirectional semiconductor optical amplifier subsystem (SOA), demonstrating the conjugation conversion through the two ports of the SOA, simultaneously. The spectral responses, the nonlinear power curves and the quality optimization of the conjugated are discussed through the simulation in nonlinear bidirectional configuration. The experimental investigation of the polarization-insensitive SOA further confirms the OPC behavior in the bidirectional operation, achieving the error-free conjugation conversion with an output optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of up to 16 dB. The nonlinear bidirectional SOA configuration tested in the system relaxes the requirement of the conventional four-wave mixing (FWM), enabling the OPC conversion with the signal regeneration in only one unit.