Transient Control in SOA-Based WDM Metro-Ring Networks Under Add–Drop Operation Using a Reservoir Channel

We experimentally investigate dynamic bit-error rate (BER) performance impairments induced by add–drop operations in semiconductor-optical amplifer (SOA)-based wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) metro-ring networks. Link control techniques in short-medium span networks provide effective performance improvement and significant BER transient reduction during add–drop operation, with respect to SOA linear operating condition (low input signal power). This behavior is confirmed by dynamic BER measurements and optical signal-to-noise penalty analysis.