Chirp managed laser generation for next generation passive optical networks

An optical transmission apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of direct modulated laser (DML) sources each having data input and output ports and configured to generate a plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals on the output ports;
• a wavelength-selective multiplexer having a plurality of input ports, configured to generate a chirp-managed laser (CML) signal based on the plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals at the input ports, and an output port at which the generated CML signal is output;
• and
• transmission circuitry having an input port coupled to the output port of the wavelength-selective multiplexer and an output port coupled to an optical transmission medium, the transmission circuitry configured for transmitting an optical signal generated from the CML signal,
• wherein each of the plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals is converted to a single sideband signal by the wavelength-selective multiplexer.

A method of optical communication, implemented at a transmitter in an optical communication network, comprising:

• generating a first plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals by modulating a first plurality of source data signals using a first plurality of direct modulation laser (DML) optical sources, wherein the first plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals occupy non-overlapping odd-numbered optical transmission channels;
• generating a first intermediate optical signal by multiplexing the first plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals using a wavelength division multiplexing coupler;
• generating a second plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals by modulating a second plurality of source data signals using a second plurality of direct modulation laser (DML) optical sources, wherein the second plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals occupy non-overlapping even-numbered optical transmission channels;
• generating a second intermediate optical signal by multiplexing the second plurality of double sideband modulated optical signals using a wavelength division multiplexing coupler;
• generating a chirp-managed laser (CML) output signal by interleaving the first intermediate optical signal and the second intermediate optical signal using an optical interleaver;
• and
• transmitting the CML output signal over an optical transport medium,
• wherein each of the first and second intermediate optical signals is a double sideband signal and is converted to a single sideband signal by the optical interleaver.

A method of optical communication, implemented at a receiver in an optical communication network, comprising:

• receiving a single sideband optical signal comprising modulated information bits carried over a plurality of multiplexed optical channels;
• demultiplexing the optical signal using a wavelength-selective demultiplexer to separate out single sideband optical signals from the plurality of multiplexed optical channels to reshape the single sideband optical signals and generate a chirp-managed laser (CML) signal;
• and
• demodulating modulated optical signals to recover the information bits.

An apparatus for optical communication, comprising:

• an optical front end that receives an optical signal comprising modulated information bits carried over a plurality of multiplexed optical channels;
• a wavelength-selective demultiplexer having an input port and a plurality of output ports, the input port being coupled to an output of the optical front end, the wavelength-selective demultiplexer demultiplexing the optical signal to separate out single sideband optical signals from the plurality of multiplexed optical channels to reshape the single sideband optical signals and generate a chirp-managed laser (CML) signal;
• and
• a plurality of optical demodulators coupled to the plurality of output ports of the wavelength-selective demultiplexer and demodulating modulated optical signals to recover the information bits.