Design and analysis of wavelength division multiplex (WDM) and code division multiple access (CDMA) hybrids (WCH)

Summary form only given. Wavelength division multiplex (WDM) system concepts, with WDM transceivers and associated guided wave devices based on the wavelength band around 1550 nm, are important ingredients of emerging telecommunication (telecom) and data communication (datacom) systems. However, there is an increasing awareness of WDM limitations imposed by physical phenomena and cost which may restrict the effective number of WDM or "virtual channels" available for these emerging systems. For example, fiber dispersion and nonlinearities define a "window of operability".