All-optical signal regeneration

摘要

An all-optical method of regenerating an optical return-to-zero format pulse signal of a first wavelength starts by introducing the input signal into a first end of a non-linear optical fiber to obtain a modified signal comprising pulses broadened in the wavelength domain. When this modified signal emerges from the second end of said non-linear optical fiber, a bandwidth slice is selected that is centered on a second wavelength so spaced from the first wavelength that its intensity is substantially unresponsive to weak pulses in the signal and relatively insensitive to intensity for other pulses. This slice is returned to the same non-linear optical fiber at its second end so that a further modified signal comprising pulses broadened in the wavelength domain will emerge from its first end. From this further modified signal a bandwidth slice centered on the first wavelength is selected as regenerated output. Regenerators operating in this way are also disclosed.