Simulations on picosecond non-linear electro-optic switching using an ASE-calibrated semiconductor optical amplifier model Cristiano M. Gallep * , Evandro Conforti Departamento de Microondas e  Optica, Faculdade de Engenharia El etrica e de Computac ß~ ao, Universidade Estadual de Campinas UNICAMP, CP6101, 13083-970, Campinas/SP, Brazil Received 12 December 2003; received in revised form 3 March 2004; accepted 12 March 2004 Abstract A simulator for bulk semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA), based on a modified transfer matrix method (TMM) and rate equations, is presented. The software parameters were calibrated using the amplified spontaneous emission noise total output power, with good agreement achieved between experimental and simulated data, both for the DC and the dynamic optical gain. Simulation results for the induced optical chirp filtering foresee switching times around 5.5 ps, in contrast with the slower responses of the experimental results for the step-only (1.8 ns) and pre-pulsed (200 ps) current injection. Ó 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 42.55.P; 42.65.P Keywords: Optical chirp; Semiconductor optical amplifier; Simulation; Switching 1. Introduction The semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is a promising device for signal processing in op- tical nodes. SOAs are able to promote, for ex- ample, optical packet switching (OPS) [1] and 3R (re-amplifying, re-timing, and re-shaping) pulse regeneration [2]. The optical wavelength converters and space switches, implemented by integrated SOA-based devices, may improve the optical network by acting as a channel selector, on the re-allocation of optical links after a WDM link failure or in the OPS operation [3]. In applications such as all-optical processing, the SOA can operate as an optically controlled switch with transition times of hundreds or even tens of picoseconds [4]. However, for electric cur- rent controlled devices, the switching time is in the order of a few nanoseconds for good bulk devices. Therefore, expecting the development of even higher capacity and faster optical routers in the * Corresponding author. Tel.: +55-19-37883-796; fax: +55-19- 32891-395/37883-832. E-mail address: gallep@dmo.fee.unicamp.br (C.M. Gallep). 0030-4018/$ - see front matter Ó 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.optcom.2004.03.035 Optics Communications 236 (2004) 131–139 www.elsevier.com/locate/optcom