Abstract

Recent ultrahigh-speed optoelectronic devices and high-performance fiber amplifiers have resulted in the demonstration of optical digital data transmission at line rates of 10 Gb/s and beyond.^1-3 With increasing line rates, however, the reduced repeater span capability leads to shorter regenerator spacings or the extensive use of optical amplifiers, in which case fiber dispersion further limits the system. The problem of span capability would be solved with a lossless transmission medium, and current investigations into dispersion compensation through nonlinear pulse transmission (solitons) also require a nominally lossless transmission path.

© 1991 Optical Society of America