Review Of Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) Functionalities

Abstract

Penguat optik separuh–pengalir (SOA) adalah sebuah peranti optik yang sentiasa meningkat penggunaannya di dalam rangkaian perhubungan optik. SOA yang berdasarkan subsistem telah terbukti kebolehannya dalam pelaksanaan SOA di dalam banyak penggunaan praktikal dan fungsi. Di dalam kertas kerja ini, kefungsian SOA yang berdasarkan sambutan lelurus dan ketidak–lelurusan telah dikaji. Penggunaan asas SOA di dalam sistem perhubungan optik telah dibincangkan: pascapenguat (atau penguat penggalak), penguat sebaris and prapenguat. Selain itu, pelbagai skim penukaran panjang gelombang telah ditinjau berdasarkan SOA ketidaklelurusan seperti pemodulatan gandaan–silang (XGM), pemodulatan fasa–silang (XPM) dan pencampuran empat–gelombang (FWM). Selain penukaran panjang gelombang dan penguatan, SOA juga boleh digunakan sebagai komponen di dalam pensuisan optik, penggetan dan sistem “hirisan–spektrumž. Oleh kerana itu, SOA telah menyediakan pelbagai penyelesaian yang cekap dan kos–berkesan bagi menjanakan kepentingan terkini dalam pelbagai penggunaan sistem perhubungan optik di masa depan. Kata kunci: Penguat optik separa–pengalir; amplifications; wavelength conversion; switching; spectrum–sliced The Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) is a photonic device which is increasingly being utilized in many modern state–of–the–art optical communication networks. The SOA provides numerous highly efficient and cost–effective solutions to many network problems, and therefore generates great new interest for a wide variety of applications in future all optical communication systems. SOA based subsystems have been proven to have the capability of implementing the SOA into many practical applications and functions. In this paper, the functionalities of the SOA, based on linear and non-linear responses, are reviewed. The basic applications of SOAs in optical communication systems are also discussed: as post–amplifier (or booster amplifier), in–line amplifier and as preamplifier. In addition, various wavelength conversion schemes based on the inherent nonlinearities of the SOA are reviewed: cross gain modulation (XGM), cross phase modulation (XPM) and four–wave mixing (FWM). Besides wavelength conversion and amplification, SOAs can also be used for future applications such as optical switching, gating and “spectrum–sliced†systems; and these are also reviewed. Key words: Semiconductor optical amplifier; amplifications; wavelength conversion; switching; spectrum–sliced