“…OPC is based on degenerate four-wave-mixing (FWM) in a strained highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF) using bidirectional loop configuration to ensure polarization insensitivity, as in [24], [26], [32], [42]- [44], and it is accompanied by a wavelength shift from 1540 nm to 1550 nm. The conversion efficiency in the HNLF is approx -6 dB, sufficient to yield a low back-to-back conversion penalty below 0.5 dB in SNR, which becomes negligible in transmission [45]- [47].…”