Polarisation effects on the nonlinear optical characteristics of a 1.55m vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifier

Hurtado, A. and Henning, I. D. and Adams, M. J. (2007) Polarisation effects on the nonlinear optical characteristics of a 1.55m vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifier. IET Optoelectronics, 1 (6). pp. 272-276. ISSN 1751-8768 (https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-opt:20070049)

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Abstract

The effect of polarisation on the nonlinear optical properties of a 1550nm vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifier (VCSOA) subjected to external optical injection into the two orthogonal polarisations of the fundamental mode has been studied experimentally. Clockwise nonlinear switching with very high on-off contrast ratio between the output states, exceeding 50:1, is reported. It is also shown that the use of polarised light gives a reduction to only some tens of microwatts of the input power requirements needed for clockwise nonlinear switching with high on-off contrast ratio. This represents at least one order of magnitude decrease in comparison with previously reported results either in VCSOAs or in edge-emitting devices. These results offer promise for the potential use of VCSOAs for all-optical signal processing as well as for optical interconnects and all-optical switching/routing applications.