Design rules for full pattern-operated all-optical XOR gate with single semiconductor optical amplifier-based ultrafast nonlinear interferometer

The feasibility of implementing an ultrafast all-optical XOR gate using a single semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-based ultrafast nonlinear interferometer (UNI) is theoretically investigated and demonstrated. The numerical simulation conducted for this purpose allows to assess the impact of the involved critical parameters on the performance of the specific interferometric module in full data-loaded dual rail switching mode and extract basic design rules for pattern-free and error-free operation.