Abstract

Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) offers graceful capacity upgrade for point-to-point transmission systems, particularly those based on embedded standard fiber: As importantly, the flexibility of adding/dropping and routing channels based on wavelengths offers future evolutionary upgrade to WDM networks for the trunk, access, and local area applications. For such systems to become ubiquitous, highly functional, ultimately low-cost WDM components will be essential. For initial point-to-point transmission systems, accurately settable WDM sources and low-chirp modulators together with matched wavelength demultiplexers are required. For follow-on networks, subsystems with an even more sophisticated level of photonic functionality such as tunable lasers and filters, reconfigurable add/drop multiplexers, space switches for WDM crossconnects, wavelength converters, and integrated WDM receivers will be key enablers.

© 1996 Optical Society of America