Space Division Switches Based on Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

摘要

Semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) can be used in space-division (SD)switches to provide both switching and optical gain. We present a general analysis of optical switches using SOAs, considering noise and saturation effects associated with amplified spontaneous emission. Based on this analysis, we derive size limitations of SD switches. Three specific SD switching architectures are considered. For a the lumped gain matrix vector multiplier (MVM) switch, switch sizes are limited to the range of 3OOOx3OOO for SOAs with saturation output powers of 100 mW. Based on the effects considered in our analysis, distributed gain MVM switches and Benes switches are not limited by signal-to noise ratio and saturation up to sizes of lO(8O)x10(80) for SOAs with saturation output powers of 100 mW.