A cold-start WDM system using a synchronized etalon filter

We demonstrate a 4/spl times/2.5 Gb/s cold-start WDM system using a synchronized etalon filter. This system automatically operated its transmitter lasers at the standardized wavelengths of 1547.82+n/spl times/0.8 nm (193.686-n/spl times/0.100 THz), where n is the channel number, to an accuracy of 1 GHz, The output power of each laser was also adjusted to be 0/spl plusmn/0.1 dBm simultaneously. Error-free transmission (BER <10/sup -9/) was achieved within 20 s after turning on the system's power supply.