Phase-sensitive parametric amplifiers in silicon waveguides

The gain and noise of phase-sensitive amplifiers (PSAs) in silicon waveguides based on non-degenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) were investigated. Numerical results show that the PSA in a silicon waveguide offers higher gain and lower amplitude noise with special initial relative phase and suitable pump power. The impacts of nonlinear losses caused by two-photon absorption and free-carrier absorption are also presented by varying free carrier lifetime; short free carrier lifetime should be chosen for optimal performance. Through silicon PSAs, amplitude noise and phase noise of a signal can be suppressed simultaneously.