Efficient and accurate modeling of multi-wavelength propagation in SOAs: a generalized coupled-mode approach

TL;DR

This paper introduces a generalized coupled-mode model for multi-wavelength propagation in semiconductor optical amplifiers that is accurate, versatile, and significantly more computationally efficient than traditional models.

Contribution

The paper develops a comprehensive coupled-mode approach applicable to all SOA structures, accounting for carrier density variations and nonlinear gain dependencies, with validation against experimental data.

Findings

Model accurately predicts multi-wavelength propagation in SOAs.

Significantly reduces computational complexity compared to full space-time models.

Validated with experimental results from phase-sensitive SOA amplifier.

Abstract

We present a model for multi-wavelength mixing in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) based on coupled-mode equations. The proposed model applies to all kinds of SOA structures, takes into account the longitudinal dependence of carrier density caused by saturation, it accommodates an arbitrary functional dependencies of the material gain and carrier recombination rate on the local value of carrier density, and is computationally more efficient by orders of magnitude as compared with the standard full model based on space-time equations. We apply the coupled-mode equations model to a recently demonstrated phase-sensitive amplifier based on an integrated SOA and prove its results to be consistent with the experimental data. The accuracy of the proposed model is certified by means of a meticulous comparison with the results obtained by integrating the space-time equations.