An optical filter based on carrier nonlinearities for optical RF channelizing and spectrum analysis

We experimentally demonstrate filtering based on the finite time response o f the interband carrier nonlinearities in a direct bandgap semiconductor Th e filter is implemented in a mixed strain polarization insensitive multiple -quantum-well, broad-area semiconductor amplifier. The key to the filter im plementation is the separation of a four-wave mixing generated sideband fro m the linearly amplified inputs based on spatial filtering. Both spectrum a nalysis and channelizing of RF modulated optical carriers are demonstrated.