Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting a frequency of an optical signal within a communications channel having a plurality of optical carriers separated by a predetermined frequency spacing. The method includes the steps of locking an optical carrier frequency to an axial mode of an optical resonator of known free spectral range; providing an additional optical resonator as a reference having a known free spectral range that differs from that of the first optical resonator; locking an optical reference signal to a closest axial mode of a reference optical resonator producing an optical reference signal that is spectrally offset from said optical carrier frequency by a spectral quantity less than the known free spectral range; mixing the optical carrier frequency with the reference optical signal frequency thus generating a difference signal as a beat frequency; and measuring a frequency of a difference signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting and receiving multiple RF/microwave subcarriers on a single optical wavelength over an optical link. The method includes the steps of modulating a plurality of RF/microwave subcarrier frequencies with a respective communication signal and modulating an optical carrier wave with the plurality of modulated RF/microwave subcarrier frequencies.