Optimum pump pulse selection for demultiplexer application of four-wave mixing in semiconductor laser amplifiers

We report on an analysis of four-wave mixing in semiconductor laser amplifiers used for demultiplexing time-division multiplexed data streams at ultra-high bit rates. The analysis is focused on the optimum control pulse energy and width with respect to the switching efficiency, channel crosstalk, and jitter tolerance. We use a simple model of the time resolved gain saturation and four-wave mixing. It turns out, that an optimum pulse energy exists with respect to the switching efficiency. The requirements on the pulse width are contrary for the channel crosstalk and the jitter tolerance. Results for an optimum system design are presented.<>