Abstract

Frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) and frequency reuse (FR) technologies provide the means for realizing large-size high-bit-rate optical networks. New optical components have been recently developed for realizing this possibility. One of these components is a fast tunable laser¹ using a single tuning current to access a set of equally spaced frequencies. In addition, the laser can be randomly switched among these frequencies in a few nanoseconds. Figure 1 shows the tuning curve of such a laser. As important, the same combination of frequencies can be obtained from a large number of identical lasers fabricated simultaneously. This greatly simplifies the implementation of FDM networks based on tunable transmitters and frequency routing.²

© 1993 Optical Society of America