Analysis of Detuning-filter-assisted All-optical Wavelength Conversion Based on a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier with Strong Wavelength Dependence of Gain and Phase

In this paper, we theoretically demonstrate that semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) with strong wavelength dependence of gain and phase are capable of all-optical inverted and non-inverted wavelength conversion (WC) over a wide range, with the assistance of an optical filter. First, the gain dynamics and phase dynamics in a common quantum well (QW) SOA with the In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.7322Ga0.2678As0.5810P0.4190 material system are found to be strongly dependent on wavelength, which is mainly related to the wavelength dependence of the differential gain and the differential refractive-index change. Second, the wavelength dependence in an all-optical wavelength converter based on the QW SOA cascaded with a detuning band pass filter is studied. Simulations show that the quality of the converted signal has little dependence on the operation wavelength. Both inverted and non-inverted WC can be achieved, over a large wavelength range. Therefore, although the gain and phase change are strongly wavelength-dependent, the effects of this dependence can be erased by appropriate optical filtering.