Abstract

All-optical time-division demultiplexing (TDM) is one of the most fundamental functions in future Tbit/s all-optical networks. Among the requirements for all-optical TDM demultiplexers, polarization-independent (PI) operation,^1,2 is vital because they handle optical signals with rapidly changing polarization after transmission of long fibers. This paper proposes a simple PI all-optical TDM demultiplexer that utilizes the ultrafast four-wave mixing (FWM) process³ of both TE and TM modes in a semiconductor laser amplifier (SLA) in which input pump and signal pulses are deliberately depolarized to suppress polarization coupling in SLA; as a result, stable error- free PI operation is achieved up to 200 Gbit/s.

© 1996 Optical Society of America