Studies On All-Optical Wavelength Conversion By Using Non-Degenerated Four-Wave Mixing In Distributed-Feedback Laser

In recent years, all-optical communication network has been became a research focus of optical fiber communication field, and it is a trend for developing of future optical network. All-optical wavelength conversion (AOWC) is one of the key technologies to achieve all-optical communication. Among many schemes to implement the AOWC, non-degenerated four-wave mixing (NDFWM) based on distributed-feedback (DFB) semiconductor laser has great potential application in future all-optical communication network because it has some advantages such as strict transparency and compact structure et al.In this paper, the technology of AOWC, the principle of FWM and DFB semiconductor laser are introduced, and the characteristics of NDFWM in DFB semiconductor laser have been investigated experimentally. Particle attentions are paid to the influences of the residual F-P cavity mode on the non-degenerated four-wave mixing in a distributed-feedback semiconductor laser from small to large range frequency detuning, and the conversion efficiency of FWM. The experimental results show that the FWM can be enhanced obviously by the cavity resonance when the probe wavelength matches the F-P cavity mode; the FWM with high conversion efficiency can be achieved when the frequency detuning between the injection probe frequency and free-running frequency of DFB semiconductor laser is up to THz. We hope that the obtained results in this paper will be useful to improve the technology of wavelength conversion based on FWM, and provide a selectable technology plan for the wavelength conversion technology based on semiconductor laser, with high signal-to-background noise-ratio (SNR), high conversion efficiency and high conversion bandwidth.