Abstract

Owing to advantages such as high switching speed, cascadability of device functionality, low cross-talk between adjacent channels and low noise figures, optical functional topologies based on Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs) at transparency are attracting a high degree of current research interest. However, the main limitation to the practical utilisation of transparent SOAs in optical functional devices is the strong dependence of the transparency carrier density on the pump pulse power [1]. Such power dependent SOA transparency would, for example, cause pattern-dependent switching.

© 2000 IEEE