Transmission performance of an optical multi-carrier network using wavelength converters based on FWM in SOA's

We consider the wavelength converter based on four wave mixing (FWM) in a semiconductor travelling wave amplifier, because it presents a large detuning bandwidth, an optical control of detuning (e.g. by tunable lasers), and the frequency translation is independent of signal modulation format. Such characteristics allow this type of device to be suitable for application in a multicarrier transport network. We analyse the employment of SOA's as optical frequency converters in two different types of optical cross connect (OXC) architecture, depending on the switching technique that is performed in the optical layer: a combination of wavelength and space division switching and a pure wavelength switching.