DROP AND INSERT MULTIPLEXING WITH SIMULTANEOUS CLOCK RECOVERY USING AN ELECTROABSORPTION MODULATOR

A three-node optical time-division multiplexing (OTDM) network is demo nstrated that utilizes electroabsorption (EA) modulators as the core e lements, Each node is self contained and performs its own clock recove ry and synchronization. ''Drop and insert'' functionality is demonstra ted for the first time with an EA modulator by completely removing a 1 0-Gb/s channel from a 40-Gb/s OTDM data stream, A different 10-Gb/s ch annel was subsequently inserted into the vacant time slot, Clock recov ery is achieved by using an EA modulator in a novel bidirectional conf iguration. Bit-error-rate (BER) measurements are presented for each of the 10-Gb/s OTDM channels.