Abstract

Ultrafast switching devices and high level processing architectures place two fundamental constraints on picosecond-regime data sources. The narrow spectral ranges of all-optical components for WDM [1] require multi-wavelength sources with output characteristics which are both arbitarily and accurately definable over a wide wavelength range. In addition, use of the nonlinear-optical loop mirror (NOLM) in higher level functional systems [2], in which pulse-streams symmetrically straddle the zero-dispersion wavelength, necessitates low levels of inter-pulse-stream jitter [3, 4].

© 1995 Optical Society of America