ULTRAHIGH-BIT-RATE OPTICAL SOURCES AND APPLICATIONS

Various techniques are described for the generation of high repetition rate high-quality soliton pulse trains in the range 10 GHz-1 THz. Emp hasis is placed on the technique of nonlinear conversion of an optical beat signal in dispersion-modified fibre. This can be achieved by a n umber of methods, including tapered or dispersion-decreasing fibre, st ep-like dispersion-profiled fibre and comb-like dispersion-profiled fi bre. In addition, self-Raman scattering has been demonstrated as a pow erful technique for ultrashort pulse generation and excellent mark spa ce ratio operation. Techniques based on phase-modulated sideband extra ction and direct modulation using electroabsorption modulators operati ng in the 10-60 GHz regime are also described.