Metrology of components needed for FDM optical networks

• Research unit: COST
• Project number: C95.0001

Key words (English)

Semiconductor Laser diodes; frequency wavelength; division multiplexing ; optical local area networks; heterodyne fiber-optic systems

Research programs (English)

COST-Action 240 - Techniques for modelling and measuring advanced photonic telecommunication components

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

B, CH, CZ, D, DK, F, GR, H, I, IRL, N, NL, P, PL, S, UK

Abstract (English)

Today, fibre-optic communication systems use an intensity modulated optical carrier to transmit the signal. The transmission capacity of the next generation communication networks will be tremendously increased by transmitting many signals in the same fiber by optical frequency or wavelength division multiplexing (FDM or WDM). For those high capacity networks, heterodyne optical communication systems are a very promising solution, especially for local area networks (LAN). The metrology of optical components used in FDM networks represents an important part of the research to be done in that field. The work done in this project was split in four working packages: WPI was focus on measuring the most important parameters relevant for FDM/WDM network systems (Iinewidth, relative intensity noise, frequency stability, tunability and switching time,...) from the most up-to-date lasers, like those circulating inside the COST 240 round-robin exercise. WP2 investigated advanced new metrology methods for measuring the characteristics of optical components needed in a FDM/WDM network, like a method for measuring the Iinewidth below 100 kHz of highly coherent laser. WP3 theoretically investigated the different heterodyne modulation/demodulation techniques (ASK, PSK and FSK) and their respective incidence on the emitter and receiver architecture of a FDM/WDM network. Performances, cost and complexity of each techniques were addressed in this analysis. WP4 included the realisation of a heterodyne optical local area network prototype being used to experimentally confirm the characteristics of components needed in reach a given performance of a FDM/WDM optical local area network.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: COST-DB of the State Secretariat for Education and Research Hallwylstrasse 4 CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. [phone] Swiss Project-Number: C95.0001