Continuous-wave fiber optical parametric wavelength converter with +40-dB conversion efficiency and a 3.8-dB noise figure.

We have obtained 40 dB of internal (on-off) conversion gain and a sub-4-dB noise figure (NF) with a continuous-wave (cw) fiber optical parametric wavelength converter. To our knowledge, this is the lowest NF reported for any cw wavelength converter. We have also investigated the properties of NF versus signal input power and pump power.