Simultaneous implementation of all-optical OR and AND logic gates for NRZ/RZ/CSRZ ON–OFF-keying signals

An all-optical scheme for simultaneously realizing OR and AND logic gates based on three-input four-wave mixing (FWM) arising in a single semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is proposed and demonstrated. It has the ability to process not only conventional non-return-to-zero-ON–OFF-keying (NRZ-OOK) and return-to-zero-OOK (RZ-OOK) formats but also carrier-suppressed return-to-zero-OOK (CSRZ-OOK) format signals. Firstly, the performance of 40 Gb/s logic operation is numerically evaluated by a comprehensive dynamic SOA model considering three input signal induced FWM effect. Then, 10 Gb/s experimental demonstrations with clear waveforms and high extinction ratios (ERs) further verify the logic integrity of this scheme. Thus, the OR and AND logic gates simultaneously achieved within a single logic unit is compact and cost-effective for future optical signal processing applications.