Apparatus and method for 3R regeneration of optical signals

摘要

Apparatus and a method for 3R regeneration of optical digital signals in which a modulator, preferably an electroabsorption modulator, is driven by an electrical clock synchronised with optical input pulses (preferably by a phase-locked-loop controller) is located downstream of a 2R regenerator so as to receive its output. Because the pulses are reshaped by the 2R regenerator before they are retimed by the modulator, a smaller proportion of the pulse energy is likely to be lost in retiming, and the effect of "chirp" from the 2R regenerator may be diminished because the parts of the pulse most affected by it are removed in retiming.