Optically controlled loop buffer using a SOA loop mirror and a circulator based reflector

In this paper, an optically controlled loop buffer is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. It utilizes a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) based loop mirror as a fast switch to realize the writing and reading of packets within this buffer and a circulator based optical reflector to achieve internal re-circulations. By adding fibers with different lengths between the loop mirror and the circulator, variable delay time per circulations can be obtained. We also demonstrate the performance of the 2.5 and 10 Gb/s data packets in this buffer structure, as well as the influence of the two different control signal formats on the packet signal degradation during buffering. This loop buffer has the merits of low cost and improved performance compared to other similar loop buffer structures. According to the obtained results, the achieved number of circulations is greatly increased.