Recent Advances in 100+nm Ultra-Wideband Fiber-Optic Transmission Systems Using Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

We report on the use of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) to extend the optical bandwidth of next generation optical systems to 100 nm and beyond. After discussing the technological progress and the motivation for rekindling the interest in SOAs for line amplification, we describe the innovative approach developed for the realization of ultra-wideband (UWB) SOAs. Leveraging custom design of singly polarized SOAs to provide gain over 100+ nm bandwidth, we developed a polarization diversity architecture to realize UWB-SOA modules. Embedded in a compact package, the UWB amplifier modules have been successfully used to demonstrate 100+ Tb/s transmissions. We subsequently review recent experimental transmission results based on such novel 100+ nm wide semiconductor optical amplifiers, including our first demonstration of 100+Tb/s transmission over 100 km distance, our field trial using real-time traffic, and finally the transmission of 107 Tb/s throughput over three spans of standard single mode fiber (SSMF) using hybrid UWB Raman/SOA amplification technique.