Experiments on high-speed all-optical code-division multiplexing systems using all-serial encoders and decoders for 2ⁿ prime code

In this paper, we demonstrate experimental all-optical code-division multiplexing (AO-CDM) systems using 64-ps optical pulses and a 2ⁿ prime code of n=3. A distinguishing feature of this experiment is that the modulation of ultrashort optical clock stream by electrical data is realized without using any optical intensity modulator at each transmitter. Moreover, only low-cost standard optical 2×2 couplers and fiber delay lines are employed to implement all-serial encoders and decoders for a 2ⁿ prime code. As a result, this new system is more cost- and power-effective than a conventional AO-CDM system. Furthermore, the use of AO-CDM systems can offer parallel communications over a common fiber channel, which in turn can support real-time computer interconnections for image and data communications