WAVELENGTH CONVERSION USING FWM

Introduction

The network medium may be a simple fiber link

:The transmitter block :consists of one or more optical Transmitters

consists of a laser, a laser modulator, or an optical filter for tuning-
.purpose
For multiple optical transmitters, a multiplexer or coupler is needed-
.to combine the signals onto a single fiber
Amplifiers are needed in various locations to maintain the strength of
.optical signals
Transmitter block Receiver block
fixed wavelength +-
multiplexer demultiplexer +-
tunable across a range of- photodetector array
wavelengths tunable filter + photodiode-
 Limiting factors of optical fiber
Junctions
•Splices
•Connectors
Linear effects – directly related to the length
•Attenuation
• Absorption
•Scattering
•Dispersion
•Modal dispersion
•Chromatic dispersion
• Polarization Mode dispersion
 Limiting Characteristics of Fiber
 Linear effects :Dispersion – broadens the
optical pulse over length of a fiber segment
 Modal – differing “modes” traverse different paths in
the fiber
 Chromatic – different frequencies of light travel at
different speeds in a medium
 Polarization – orthogonal light waves travel at
different speeds in the fiber

 Non-Linear effects
– Self phase modulation (SPM)
– Cross-Phase Modulation (XPM)
– Four wave mixing
– Ramon scattering
Nonlinearities in Fiber
 1) Nonlinear Refraction
› Index of refraction  optical intensity of signals
propagating through the fiber
The phase of the light at the receiver 
 the phase of the light sent by the transmitter,
 the length of the fiber, and
 the optical intensity.
› Two types of Nonlinear Refraction
 Self-Phase Modulation (SPM)
 Cross-Phase Modulation (XPM)

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 Self-Phase Modulation (SPM)
 caused by variations in the power of an optical signal
 results in variations in the phase of the optical signal
 The amount of phase shift
NL = n2k0L|E|2
where n2 = nonlinear coefficient for the index of
refraction
k0 = 2/
L = length of the fiber
|E|2 = optical intensity
 Cross-Phase Modulation (XPM)
 caused by the change in intensity of an optical
signal propagating at a different wavelength
 results in a shift in the phase of the optical signal
 Advantage: to modulate a pump signal at one
wavelength from a modulated signal on a different
wavelength. Such technique is used in Wavelength
Conversion devices. 7
  2) Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS)
› Light incident with molecules creates scattered light at a
longer wavelength than that of the incident light.
› A portion of the light traveling at each frequency in a Raman-
active fiber is downshifted across a region of lower
frequencies: the Stokes wave.
› The range of the frequencies occupied by the Stokes wave is
determined by the Raman gain spectrum, which covers the
range of around 40THz below the freq. of the input light. In
silica fiber, max. gain at 13THz below input light.
o 3) Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS)
 similar to SRS except that the frequency shift is caused
by sound waves rather than moleculer vibration.
 Stokes wave propagates in the opposite direction of the
input light,
SBS occurs at relatively low input powers for wide
pulses (greater than 1s) but has negligible effect for
short pulses (less than 1s)
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Four-wave Mixing (FWM)

•Caused when multiple wavelengths travel in the

same phase for long time
•New signals are generated at the same
frequency spacing as original: w1,w2 Þ 2w2-w1,
2w1-w2
•Closer channels Þ More FWM
•More power Þ More FWM
•Less dispersion Þ More time same phase
Þ More FWM
 4) FOUR WAVE MIXING
• Four wave mixing (FWM) is one of the most troubling issues .
 Three signals combine to form a fourth spurious or mixing component,
hence the name four wave mixing, shown below in terms of frequency w:

w1
w2 Non-Linear
Optical Medium
w 4 = w1 + w2 - w3
w3
• Spurious components cause two problems:
 Interference between wanted signals if they overlap with frequencies
used for data transmission
 Power is lost from wanted signals into unwanted spurious signals
 The total number of mixing components increases dramatically with the number
of channels

can be reduced by using unequally spaced channels

 FWM: HOW MANY SPURIOUS COMPONENTS?

The total number of mixing components, M is calculated from

the formula:

M = 1/2 ( N3 - N ) N is the number of DWDM channels

Thus three channels

creates 12 additional
signals and so on.
As N increases, M
increases rapidly.....
 FWM COMPONENTS AS WAVELENGTHS

l1 l2 l3

Original DWDM channels,

evenly spaced

l1 l2 l3
Original plus FWM
components
l123 l321
Because of even l312
l231
spacing some FWM l213
components overlap l132
DWDM channels
l113 l112 l223 l221 l332 l331
 Four Wave Mixing example with 3 equally spaced channels

3 ITU channels 0.8 nm

spacing
Channel nm FWM mixing components
l1 1542.14 Channel nm
l2 1542.94 Equal spacing
l123 1541.34
l3 1543.74 l213 1541.34
l321 1544.54
For the three channels l1, l2 and l3 calculate l231 1544.54
all the possible combinations produced by l312 1542.94
adding two channel l's together and l132 1542.94
subtracting one channel l. l112 1541.34
l113 1540.54
For example l1 +l2 - l3 is written as l123 and is l221 1543.74
calculated as 1542.14 + 1542.94 - 1543.74 = l223 1542.14
1541.34 nm l331 1545.34
l332 1544.54
Note the interference to wanted channels
caused by the FWM components l312, l132,
l221 and l223
 Reducing Four Wave Mixing

Reducing FWM can be achieved by:

 Increasing channel spacing (not really an option because of limited
spectrum)
 Employing uneven channel spacing
 Reducing aggregate power
 Reducing effective aggregate power within the fibre
Another more difficult approach is to use fibre with non-zero
dispersion:
 FWM is most efficient at the zero-dispersion wavelength
 Problem is that the "cure" is in direct conflict with need minimise
dispersion to maintain bandwidth
To be successful the approach used must reduce unwanted
component levels to at least 30 dB below a wanted channel.
 FOUR WAVE MIXING EXAMPLE WITH 3 UNEQUALLY
SPACED CHANNELS

DWDM channels 3
Channel nm
FWM mixing components
l1 1542.14
l2 1542.94 unequal Channel nm
spacing l123 1541.24
l3 1543.84
l213 1541.24
l321 1544.64
l231 1544.64
 As before for the three channels l1, l2 and l3
l312 1543.04
calculate all the possible combinations l132 1543.04
produced by adding two channel l's together l112 1541.34
and subtracting one channel l. l113 1540.44
 Note that because of the unequal spacing l221 1543.74
there is now no interference to wanted l223 1542.04
channels caused by the generated FWM l331 1545.54
components l332 1544.74
 Non Linear Effects:
FWM continued...
FWM products generated, none fall on signal channels

f f
power

f223
f123 f132 f332 f231
f113 f112 f221 f331

f1 f2 f3 Frequency
 Sample FWM problem with 3 DWDM channels

:PROBLEM

 For the three channels l1, l2 and l3 shown calculate all the possible FWM
component wavelengths.

 Determine if interference to wanted channels is taking place.

 If interference is taking place show that the use of unequal channel spacing
will reduce interference to wanted DWDM channels.

channels 1.6 nm spacing 3

Channel nm
l1 1530.00
l2 1531.60
l3 1533.20
 Solution to FWM problem
3 channels 1.6 nm equal spacing 3 channels unequal spacing
Channel nm Channel nm
l1 1530.00 l1 1530.00
l2 1531.60 l2 1531.60
l3 1533.20 l3 1533.40

FWM mixing components FWM mixing components

Channel nm Channel nm
l123 1528.40 l123 1528.20
l213 1528.40 l213 1528.20
l321 1534.80 l321 1535.00
l231 1534.80 l231 1535.00
l312 1531.60 l312 1531.80
l132 1531.60 l132 1531.80
l112 1528.40 l112 1528.40
l113 1526.80 l113 1526.60
l221 1533.20 l221 1533.20
l223 1530.00 l223 1529.80
l331 1536.40 l331 1536.80
l332 1534.80 l332 1535.20
 WAVELENGTH CONVERSION
 Fig. 27:
› two WDM cross connects (S1 and S2) and five access stations (A-E)
three linepaths has been set up (C-A on 1, C-B on 2, and D-E on 1 ?)
› Wavelength-continuity constraint
(the same wavelength is allocated on all the links in the path)

? 1

1

2

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 Wavelength Routed
Networks Light Path

 Light path through a WGR (wavelength

grafting router) network
 Routing Þ Wavelength assignment problem
 Two wavelengths from different fibers should
not be mixed Þ Need wavelength conversion
 Wavelength Routing

›  reuse,
›  routing
›  conversion
 As long as the
logical paths
between nodes
do not overlap
they can use the
same 
 Fig. 28 (a)
› Wavelength-continuity
› Node 1 - Node 2 : 1
Node 2 - Node 3 : 2
 Node 1 - Node 3 ?
 Fig. 28 (b)
Wavelength-continuity constrain
› Wavelength-
conversion
› Node 1 - Node 2 : 1
Node 2 - Node 3 : 2
 Node 1 - Node 3
2  1 Wavelength conversion

› Improve the efficiency

Wavelength Converter •
s  c –

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Wavelength Conversion Technologies

Two types:
- opto-electronic
- all-optical
- that employ coherent effects
- that use cross modulation
› 1) Opto-electronic Wavelength Conversion
 up to 10 Gb/s
 more complex and more power consumption
 O/E affects data transparency (data format & data rate)

O/E E/O

Photodetector Tunable Laser

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› 2a) Wavelength Conversion Using Cross
Modulation
 Using optical-gating wavelength conversion
techniques on active semiconductor optical devices
such as
a) SOA (semiconductor optical amplifier) in
XGM (Cross-Gain Modulation) mode
XPM (Cross-Phase Modulation) mode

b) Semiconductor Laser

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 › SOA in XGM (Cross-Gain Modulation) mode
  simple, 10 Gb/s - invertion

)inverted(
– SOA in XPM (Cross-Phase Modulation) mode
•  power efficient

25 )inverted | noninverte
› 2b) Wavelength Conversion Using Coherent Effects
 based on wave-mixing effects (Fig. 31)
 preserve data transparency (phase & amplitude)
 the only approach that allows simultaneous
conversion of a set of multiple input wavelengths to
another set of multiple output wavelengths
 100+ Gb/s
 n = 3 : Four-Wave Mixing (FWM)
4th wave is generated : fijk = fi +fj -fk
n = 2 : Difference Frequency Generation (DFG)

pump(
)wavelength

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SOA NONLINEARITIES

1. Cross gain
modulation

2. Cross phase
modulation

3. Four-wave
mixing
2
 Wavelength Conversion
Wavelength conversion is a process to convert encoded signal from one
wavelength to another.
- Provide flexibility for optical interconnection and increase capacity in all
optical dense wavelength division multiplexing networks (DWDM)

Conventional
All-optical
optical-electrical
wavelength conversion
wavelength
using
conversion
nonlinear – slow
effects speed
Four-Wave Mixing (FWM)

Third-Order
Nonlinearity

Refractive index of material is periodically modulated by optical

Kerr effect at the beat frequency Δω = ωp – ωs .
For the partially-degenerate FWM, pump is phase modulated at
Δω.
Two sidebands at ωp±Δω are created. ( signal and Idler)
Experimental Setup for FWM-Based
Wavelength and NRZ-RZ Format
Conversion

Eye diagram
BER measurement

Input : 10 Gb/s NRZ-OOK @ 1545 nm : 23 dBm

10 GHz Clock @ 1553.5 nm : 13.6 dBm
Output : 10 Gb/s RZ-OOK @ 1536.5 nm
Output Spectrum of FWM-Based
Wavelength Converter
 REFERENCES:

 Optical Components for WDM Light-wave Networks, Borella

et al,
Proceedings of the IEEE , August , 1997.

 WDM and DWDM Multiplexing , Applied Optoelectronics

Center , DIT,(slides 78-86)

Semiconductor Waveguides for Nonlinear Optical Signal

Processing, PhD Dissertation defense , November 13rd, 2009

OpticalDWDM Networks
,http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/~jain/talks/h_5opt.htm