Optical signal regeneration and amplification of m-psk and m-qam modulation formats using reconfigurable wavelength selective processors and phase-sensitive amplifiers

A system for regenerating optical signals, comprising:

• an input configured to accept a source optical signal modulated using a multilevel modulation format;
• a dual-pump source configured to generate a first pump optical signal and a second pump optical signal;
• a coupler communicatively coupled to the input and the dual-pump source configured to add the first pump optical signal and the second pump optical signal to the source optical signal to yield an intermediate optical signal;
• a wavelength selective processor coupled to a computer-readable medium and configured to accept the intermediate optical signal;
• a first non-linear optical element communicatively coupled at two ends to the wavelength selective processor;
• and
• a second non-linear element communicatively coupled to the wavelength selective processor;
• wherein:
• the wavelength selective processor is configured to send a plurality of portions of the intermediate optical signal through the first non-linear optical element in opposite directions;
• the first non-linear optical element is configured to create a first conjugate optical signal and a second conjugate optical signal from the portions of the intermediate optical signal, each conjugate optical signal having a phase that is a conjugate of a multiple of the phase of the source optical signal;
• the second non-linear optical element is configured to perform degenerate phase-sensitive amplification utilizing the first conjugate optical signal, the second conjugate optical signal, and the source optical signal to yield an output optical signal;
• and
• the wavelength selective processor includes a wavelength selective switch.