Abstract: An optical transmission system is provided. The system includes first and second lines of optical fiber, each line including first, second, and third optical fiber portions, and an optical phase conjugator optically coupling the first and second lines. The first and third optical fiber portions have a local dispersion of like sign to each other, and opposite to the sign of the second optical fiber portion.

Abstract: A method for estimating the bit-error-ratio (BER) for a segment or whole of an optical communications network by measuring the actual distribution of bits (1s and 0s) in a transmitted data set as a function of threshold value, and directly estimating the BER at an optimal threshold value using a Q-fitting algorithm.

Abstract: An optical system that maximizes signal quality related to spectral shape of an optical signal includes a light source module, a light receiver module, a plurality of fixed optical filters and a tunable optical filter. The light source module includes a light source that provides an optical signal to an optical fiber that includes a plurality of optical fiber segments. The light receiver module includes a receiver input that receives the optical signal from one of the plurality of the optical fiber segments. The plurality of fixed optical filters filter the optical signal and are coupled between the light source module and the light receiver module by the plurality of optical fiber segments. The tunable optical filter includes a control input, a filter input and a filter output. The filter input receives the optical signal and the filter output provides a filtered optical signal.

Abstract: Multiple uses are made available with an optical component (10) that is based on a fiber Fabry-Perot resonator (12). The optical component (10) includes substrate (14) having a variable length (16) for supporting and tuning the Fabry-Perot resonator (12) by varying the variable length (16) of the substrate (14) in response to a variable stimulus. A plurality of fiber retainers (22) are disposed on the substrate (14) for mounting and aligning the fiber Fabry-Perot resonator (12). To fix the position of the fiber Fabry-Perot resonator (12) relative to the substrate (14) and to define the variable length (16), a pair of binders (24) are disposed on the substrate (14) proximate selected opposed pairs (221 and 222) of the plurality of the fiber retainers (22).