Abstract

Among techniques for coherent detection of optical signals, homodyne offers the advantages of high channel packing density, minimum required receiver bandwidth, reduced receiver thermal noise, and linear demodulation. Homodyne detection of phase-shift-keyed (PSK) signals yields, in theory, the highest sensitivity of any binary signaling technique employing single-bit decisions. We report here an experimental pilot-carrier BPSK homodyne system that has allowed detection of 4 Gbit/s data with record sensitivity.

© 1990 Optical Society of America