Semiconductor optical amplifier pattern effect suppression using Lyot filter

The feasibility of employing a Lyot filter to compensate for the pattern effect in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is experimentally demonstrated. The operation mechanism relies on the control of its comb-like transfer function by proper adjustment of the wavelength spacing and detuning to suppress the spectral components broadened owing to SOA gain saturation. The scheme is experimentally demonstrated on amplified 10 Gbit/s return to zero data.