Efficient optical packet-generation and -compression scheme

Abstract
An efficient optical packet-generation and -compression scheme is proposed. Packet compression is achieved when the packet is sent through a series of semiconductor optical amplifiers, which have either a transmitting or an absorbing state. The proposed scheme requires no fast electronics and uses exceptionally simple devices such as a tapped series of D flip-flops and frequency dividers. A detailed performance analysis on the system size limitations is also provided by the consideration of pulse-spreading effects and semiconductor optical-amplifier noise.