METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPRESSING RELATIVE INTENSITY NOISE (RIN) AND IMPROVING TRANSMISSION SIGNALS

摘要

A method and apparatus within an optical transmitter (300) for suppressing relative intensity noise (RIN) by generating at least two optical signals (305, 310), each having differing wavelengths and combining the optical signals with a combiner (315) into a composite output signal, wherein the composite output signal has an output power value equal to the sum of the power value of the optical signals. The composite output signal is then transmitted over a communication medium, wherein information content of the optical signals are substantially equivalent, and wherein combining the optical signals before transmitting provides a reduction in RIN of the composite output signal compared to the RIN of a single optical signal transmitted over a communication medium.