Phase optimization apparatus and method for obtaining maximum extinction ratio in mach-zehnder interferometer wavelength converter using cross phase modulation of semiconductor optical amplifier

摘要

A phase optimization apparatus and method to obtain a maximum extinction ratio by feeding back a portion of an optical signal output from a Mach-Zehnder interferometer wavelength converter using XPM of a semiconductor optical amplifier to maintain an optimum phase difference between two arms. The phase optimization apparatus includes a first arm having a first semiconductor optical amplifier that amplifies a pump signal and a probe signal, a second arm having a second semiconductor optical amplifier that amplifies the probe signal, and a π phase shifter that controls the phase of the amplified signal, an optical band-pass filter that filters optical signals to output only the modulated probe signal; and a phase control unit that receives feedback to output to the π phase shifter of the second arm a phase control signal, which controls a phase difference between the first and second arms.