SOA-based all-optical switch with subpicosecond full recovery

We investigate all-optical switching in a multi-quantum-well semiconductor optical amplifier-based nonlinear polarization switch using optical pulses with duration of 200 fs at a central wavelength of 1520 nm. We show full recovery of the switch within 600 fs, in both the gain and absorption regime. We discuss the switching and recovery mechanisms using numerical simulations that are in qualitatively good agreement with our experimental data. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.