Abstract
This investigation proposes and experimentally demonstrates an optical code-division multiple-access (OCDMA) light source using a directly modulated Fabry-Pérot laser diode in an external injection scheme. This light source has an optical sidemode suppression ratio of over 27.5 dB and a pulsewidth of around 55 ps. Such a narrow pulsewidth has great potential for a two-dimensional OCDMA system. Additionally, the bit-error-rate performance with a 2 31 - 1 pseudorandom bit sequence indicates the feasibility of this light source in a 2.488-Gb/s system application. © 2006 IEEE.