A semiconductor-based all optical wavelength converter is disclosed. An
apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes an
optical waveguide disposed in semiconductor material. An optical pump
source is optically coupled to direct an optical pump beam having a first
wavelength into the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide is further
optically coupled to receive an input optical beam having a second
wavelength. The optical waveguide is optically coupled to generate an
output optical beam having a third wavelength in response to the optical
pump beam and the input optical beam in the optical waveguide. A diode
structure is disposed in the optical waveguide. The diode structure
includes at least P and N regions. The diode structure is biased to
generate an electric field to remove free carriers from an optical path
through the optical waveguide generated in response to two photon
absorption in the optical waveguide.