Performance evaluation of an optical multi-carrier network using wavelength converters based on FWM in semiconductor optical amplifiers

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Abstract
An analysis of the transmission performance of optical multi-carrier network layer employing wavelength converters based on four wave mixing in semiconductor travelling wave amplifiers is presented. The all-optical wavelength conversion proposed here would allow the network to fulfil the requirement of flexibility, maintaining the transparency of the optical layer. Analytical results, obtained by an accurate model of the transmission through the network, are reported for two different photonic switching approaches. One is based on a combination of wavelength choice and space switching, while the other one relates to a switching completely in the wavelength domain. In both the cases the results assess satisfactory transmission performances.