Optically preamplified receiver at 10 Gbit/susing vertical-cavity SOA

Abstract

Optical preamplification at 10 Gbit/s using a vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifier (VCSOA) is demonstrated. The VCSOA has a narrow gain bandwidth of 37 GHz and consequently functions as an amplifying filter. At a fibre-to-fibre gain of 11 dB, the receiver sensitivity was increased by 7 dB resulting in a sensitivity of –26.2 dBm.