40 Gbit/s optical communication system

The work at the University of Bristol on a 40 Gbit/s OTDM transmission system within the HIGHWAY project has been described. Detailed models for the mode locked laser and TANDEM (electro-absorption modulator) optical sources have been developed which show that 10 ps pulses at repetition rates of 10 GHz, suitable for the OTDM application, are possible. A jitter measurement system has been used to measure the timing jitter of the TANDEM source to be 2.3 ps at a frequency of 5 GHz. Systems simulations have shown the need for dispersion accomodation/compensation.