AN OPTICAL PULSE SOURCE FOR USE IN BROADBAND PHOTONIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

摘要

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing an improved optical pulse source suitable for use in highspeed optical communication systems. The optical pulse source can output spectrally pure pulses in a high capacity optical communication system. An optical pulse source in accordance with the invention comprises; at least one gain switched laser diode; and at least one non-linearly chirped optical processing element adapted to enhance the spectral purity of the output pulses generated from the laser diode.