System and method for rapidly achieving optimum dispersion optical transmission systems

A computer system for monitoring dispersion, the computer system including at least one data-processing unit operable to execute one or more executable programs, the one or more executable programs causing the at least one data-processing unit to perform steps comprising:

• providing an optical sample of at least one selected wavelength channel;
• providing an RF carrier at a frequency that differs from the baud of the at least one selected wavelength channel by about 100 kHz;
• coupling the optical sample through an EDFA;
• coupling the optical sample through a receive photodetector;
• amplifying the output signal of the photodetector;
• adjusting the amplified output signal;
• coupling the adjusted amplified output signal to one input of a microwave mixer;
• coupling the RF carrier signal to the other input of the microwave mixer;
• mixing the output signal with the RF carrier frequency to obtain an a.c. signal component;
• terminating the output of the mixer and a.c. coupling the output to a low frequency (LF) amplifier;
• coupling the a.c. signal component through an active bandpass filter;
• coupling the a.c. signal component to an average detector;
• coupling the resulting d.c. signal through an A/D converter;
• and
• communicating the d.c. signal to the processing unit.