All-optical single-to-dual channel non-return-to-zero to return-to-zero format converter using a periodically poled LiNbO3 and a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier.

All-optical single-to-dual channel format converter from non-return-to-zero (NRZ) to return-to-zero (RZ) is proposed and demonstrated using cascaded sum- and difference-frequency generation (SFG+DFG) in a periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPLN) waveguide. The pump optical clock is generated from the active mode locking in a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA)-based fiber ring laser. We successfully observe 10- and 20-Gbit/s single-to-dual channel NRZ-to-RZ format conversions in the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]