Cascaded SOA configuration for NRZ-OOK to RZ-QPSK format conversion

We propose and experimentally demonstrate an all-optical format conversion from two independent non-return-to-zero on–off keying (NRZ-OOK) signals to a return-to-zero quadrature phase shift keying (RZ-QPSK) signal using two cascaded SOAs. Within each SOA, the cross phase modulation (XPM) process is properly controlled by an assistant light. After evaluating its effect on XPM, a suitable power range of assistant light is chosen for the NRZ-OOK to RZ-QPSK format conversion. In the experiment, a RZ-QPSK signal is successfully obtained with opened demodulation eye-diagrams.