High speed all-optical encryption and decryption using quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifiers

A scheme to realize high speed all-optical encryption and decryption using key-stream generators and an XOR gate based on quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifiers (QD-SOAs) was studied. The key used for encryption and decryption is a high speed all-optical pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) which is generated by a linear feedback shift register (LFSR) composed of QD-SOA-based logic XOR and AND gates. Two other kinds of more secure key-stream generators, i.e. cascaded design and parallel design, were also designed and investigated. Nonlinear dynamics including carrier heating and spectral hole-burning in the QD-SOA are taken into account together with the rate equations in order to realize all-optical logic operations. Results show that this scheme can realize all-optical encryption and decryption by using key-stream generators at high speed (~250 Gb/s).