Investigation of modulation formats in future SOA-facilitated optical networks

Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs) are vital elements in future optical networks whether as amplifying elements to boost the optical signal. In addition to be used as amplifiers, SOAs can also be used as switching elements operating either as ON-OFF switches or as wavelength converters for wavelength routing switching. Additionally, their performance is compatible with nowadays and future transmission rates of 10, 40 and 80Gb/s and beyond. Hence, the impact they will have in all future optical networks is paramount and it is unimaginable that there will be any future optical network without them. With this knowledge a look into future optical networks reviles that the modulation format will be influenced by this development due to the physical impacts of the SOAs on the signal transmission. Hence the modulation format needs to be investigated. Here we pursue the investigation of different optical formats by means of optical simulation and do a comparison of the modulation formats with respect to the performance selected for this paper.