Abstract

Multiquantum well (MQW) lasers are expected to.be superior light sources for multigigabit longspan optical fiber communication in view of their high resonance frequency¹ and low spectral chirping.^2,3 Surprisingly, only a few studies⁴ have been done on the dispersion penalty through the optical fiber using MQW lasers under multigigabit modulation. In this paper, we systematically investigate the advantages of 1.55-μm MQW-DFB (distributed-feedback) lasers, against waveform degradation after long-span normal fiber transmission, and compare them with the conventional bulk-DFB lasers. In particular, degradation due to the blue-chirp component at the leading edge of pulses is fully evaluated. Moreover, the applicability of 1.55-μm MQW-DFB lasers for 2.5-Gbit/s-80 km normal fiber transmission is also discussed on the basis of the intersymbol interference.

© 1992 Optical Society of America