Relative Intensity Noise Performance of Wavelength Converters Based on Four-Wave Mixing in Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

• Published in: IEEE journal of quantum electronics 2007-05, Vol.43 (5), p.370-377
• Main Authors: Simos, H., Stamataki, I., Syvridis, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amplification; Degradation; Exact sciences and technology; Four-wave mixing; Four-wave mixing (FWM); Frequency conversion; harmonic generation, including high-order harmonic generation; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Low noise; Noise; Noise level; Nonlinear optics; Numerical models; Optical elements, devices, and systems; Optical frequency converters; Optical noise; Optical wavelength conversion; Optics; Phase conjugation, optical mixing; photorefractive and kerr effects; Physics; Relative intensity noise; relative intensity noise (RIN); Semiconductor device noise; semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA); Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Spontaneous emission; Wavelength conversion; Wavelengths
• ISSN: 0018-9197; 1558-1713
• DOI: 10.1109/JQE.2007.893012

We present a numerical and experimental study of the relative intensity noise (RIN) induced by the four-wave mixing (FWM) based wavelength conversion process in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The study is based on the RIN evaluation of the converted signal, under various operating conditions (input power levels and wavelength detuning) and input noise characteristics. A detailed numerical model is employed to simulate the FWM process, taking into account the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise, the wavelength dependent gain, and the interaction of four waves in the SOA (two input waves and two product waves). It is shown that for low noise input signals, the output RIN is determined by the power levels of the pump and signal and the wavelength detuning. Operation under saturation allows reduction of the output RIN levels with respect to the input