Optimization of efficiency-loss figure of merit in carrier-depletion silicon Mach-Zehnder optical modulator.

In this paper we study the optimization of interleaved Mach-Zehnder silicon carrier depletion electro-optic modulator. Following the simulation results we demonstrate a phase shifter with the lowest figure of merit (modulation efficiency multiplied by the loss per unit length) 6.7 V-dB.

Nyquist-WDM filter shaping with a high-resolution colorless photonic spectral processor.

We employ a spatial-light-modulator-based colorless photonic spectral processor with a spectral addressability of 100 MHz along 100 GHz bandwidth, for multichannel, high-resolution reshaping of Gaussian channel response to square-like shape, compatible with Nyquist WDM requirements.

A self-coherent receiver for detection of PolMUX coherent signals.

A self-coherent receiver capable of demultiplexing PolMUX-signals without an external polarization controller is presented. Training sequences are introduced to estimate the polarization rotation, and a decision feedback recursive algorithm mitigates the random walk of the recovered field. The concept is tested for a PolMUX-DQPSK modulation format where one polarization carries a normal DQPSK signal while the other polarization is encoded as a progressive phase-shift DQPSK signal.

Self-coherent complex field reconstruction with in-phase and quadrature delay detection without a direct-detection branch.

Self-coherent detection with interferometric field reconstruction aims at retrieving the complex-valued optical field (amplitude and phase) by digitally processing delay interferometer (DI) measurements, in order to realize a differential direct detection receiver with capabilities akin to that of a fully coherent receiver with polarization multiplexing, albeit without requiring a local oscillator laser in the receiver. Here we introduce a novel digital recursive algorithm capable of accurately reconstructing the optical complex field (both amplitude and phase) solely from the quadrature DI outputs, eliminating the AM photo-detector branch. We analyze a key impairment namely the accumulation of errors and fluctuations in the reconstructed amplitude and phase due to ADC quantization noise, recirculating in the recursion.

All-channel tunable optical dispersion compensator based on linear translation of a waveguide grating router.

We propose and demonstrate a compact tunable optical dispersion compensation (TODC) device with a 100 GHz free spectral range capable of mitigating chromatic dispersion impairments. The TODC is based on longitudinal movement of a waveguide grating router, resulting in chromatic dispersion compensation of ±1000 ps/nm. We employed our TODC device for compensating 42.

Quasi-phase-matched generation of optical intensity waves.

The evolution of modulated light in a nonlinear medium, when described in terms of intensity waves, depends critically on a phase-matching condition for the intensity waves. We formally develop the conditions for quasi-phase matching of the interacting intensity waves and show that a periodic nonlinearity can be utilized to eliminate the dephasing between them. This is verified using stimulated Brillouin scattering with a periodically nonlinear optical fiber that has a period length equal to one-half of the (modulation) wavelength of the intensity waves.

10 Gbit/s optical wavelength converter with a Brillouin scattering-based spectral filter.

For the first time, to our knowledge, a highly robust, high-bit-rate (10 Gbit/s) wavelength converter that is based on a narrow Brillouin filter is reported. The conversion takes place in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) in a cross-gain-phase process. The SOA operates in a weak-modulation mode, and the exiting signal undergoes a dc reduction with a narrow spectral filter.