Applications of optical non-linearities in semiconductor waveguide amplifiers

• Research unit: COST
• Project number: C98.0023

Key words (English)

Semiconductor optical amplifiers; gain response; fibreoptic communication

Research programs (English)

COST-Action 270 - Reliability of Optical Components and Devices in Communication Systems and Networks

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

A, B, CZ, DK, F, D, GR, H, IRL, I, NL, PL, RO, E, S, CH, GB

Abstract (English)

Our decision to participate in COST P2 was motivated by our determination to enhance our collaboration with other European research institutions in the domain of non-linear optical effects in semiconductor photonic integrated waveguides and stand-alone photonic devices. Our group is particularly interested in applications of non-linear effects in optical logic circuits and in fibre telecommunications, such as in wavelength conversion, mid-span spectral inversion, demultiplexing, and others. In the last year of the project, we have continued simulations and experimental investigations at the ETHZ to analyse and apply non-linear optical effects in semiconductor optical amplifiers that are designed and fabricated in our group. Our devices use quarternary bulk InP-based materials and operate in the wavelength range around 1550 nm. We have investigated theoretically and experimentally the physics of the correlation between gain and phase dynamics at time scales around one picosecond. We have successfully applied these effects in signal generation in ring lasers and in signal demultiplexing at bit rates between 10 and 80 Gb/s. We have furthermore published our results and have cultivated our contacts with European colleagues in the frame of COST.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: COST-DB of the State Secretariat for Education and Research Hallwylstrasse 4 CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. [phone] Swiss Project-Number: C98.0023