Asynchronous, all-optical signal processing based on the self-frequency shift of a gigahertz Raman soliton

Ultrafast asynchronous all-optical signal processing is experimentally demonstrated. It is based on the intensity-dependent, self-frequency shift of a gigahertz Raman soliton. We demonstrate error-free, asynchronous, all-optical, bit-by-bit, self-signal recognition and demultiplexing from contended optical packets without use of an optical buffer, control pulse, or bit-phase synchronization. Fourfold, contended, 9.95-Gbit/s optical packets are transmitted through a conventional repeater span of 80 km and simultaneously demultiplexed to multiwavelength 9.95-Gbit/s optical packets with 0.5-dB processing sensitivity. Furthermore, we successfully accomplish demultiplexing from overlapping signals in contended optical packets with better than 3-dB recognition sensitivity. We confirm the capability of realizing a 3x cascade operation from bit-error-rate measurements. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.