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Abstract

A multi-wavelength mode-locked dense wavelength division multiplexed (MWML-DWDM) optical transmission method and system including a MWML-DWDM optical transmitter having a multiwavelength mode-locked (MWML) laser which generates a wavelength-ordered repetitive periodic (WORP) sequence of discrete optical pulses for modulation with data carried by at least one electronic carrier. Signals from multiple telecommunications transmission interfaces are multiplexed together by a high speed electronic time domain multiplexer to form a single multiplexed high speed digital transmission stream that is encoded onto the optical pulse stream output by the MWML-DWDM optical transmitter by an optical modulator so as to provide multiple channels of information carried on a DWDM data stream over an optical fiber to a receiver where the data is received and decoded. A single MWML-DWDM optical transmitter and a single modulator may replace the numerous laser sources and associated modulators used in conventional WDM optical transmission systems. Wavelength usage may be further maximized by combining the outputs of several MWML-DWDM optical transmitters in the frequency domain using optical combiners or in the time domain using time division multiplexing techniques according to which DWDM wavelengths may be used more than once during a WORP-frame but only once during a pulse-frame. A single MWML laser source can provide hundreds of optical carriers.

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