COHERENCE CODING FOR PHOTONIC CODE-DIVISION MULTIPLE-ACCESS NETWORKS

We analyze a code-division multiple access technique where information is optically encoded by manipulating the coherence between a pair of transmitted signals. Key features are intrinsic security, operation of the receiver at only the bit rate of a single channel, and reconfigur ation without switching optical delays, which are considerable advanta ges compared to previously proposed CDMA schemes. Experimental results demonstrating the basic operation of the scheme are presented. The pe rformance limitations are calculated and novel implementations are pro posed.