Broad-range tunable wavelength conversion of high-bit-rate signals using super structure grating distributed Bragg reflector lasers

Tunable wavelength conversion of a 10 Gb/s signal over a broad wavelength range of about 90 nm is achieved by using a super structure grating distributed Bragg reflector laser. The extinction ratio dependence of converted signal light on input signal light power and bias current to the laser active region is discussed. The extinction ratio becomes large when the input signal light power increases and the bias current decreases. Bit error rate measurements show that error-free, penalty-free wavelength conversion is achieved when the extinction ratio is large (12.5 dB) and that the bit rate which error-free wavelength conversion is possible increases as the input signal light power increases. Twenty Gb/s signal wavelength conversion is also demonstrated.