An all-optical switch is proposed and demonstrated using the nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR) with linear polarization maintenance arising in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). By introducing optical control pulse into the SOA, the state of polarization (SOP) of the packet signal can be switched between the vertical linear SOP and the horizontal linear SOP on the Poicáre sphere (PS). Then a polarization beam splitter (PBS) is used to perform polarization-to-intensity conversion. Thus the input packet signal can be switched between the two output ports of the PBS. And an extinction ratio of switching operation larger than 20 dB is obtained.

Date Published: 11 November 2008
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 7136, Optical Transmission, Switching, and Subsystems VI, 71361Z (11 November 2008); doi: 10.1117/12.802530

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7136:
Optical Transmission, Switching, and Subsystems VI
Ken-ichi Kitayama; Pierpaolo C. Ghiggino; Kim Roberts; Yikai Su, Editor(s)