A one-watt, 10-Gbps high-sensitivity optical communication system

High data rate communications are of interest for many applications. In fiber-based broadcast systems, high receiver sensitivity and high transmitter power translate into the ability to reach more customers. For space applications, high receiver sensitivity and high optical power are essential since it is impossible to use amplifiers between the transmitter and receiver. We describe here the experimental demonstration of a 10-Gbps communications system with a receiver sensitivity of 77 photons/bit at a bit error rate of 10/sup -9/ and a one-watt optical transmitter based on an erbium-doped fiber amplifier pumped by tapered-gain-region semiconductor lasers.< >