All-optical regeneration at the receiver of 10-Gb/s RZ data transmitted over 30 000 km using an electroabsorption modulator

We have demonstrated all-optical regeneration (reshape and reamplify) at the receiver of 10-Gb/s return-to-zero (RZ) data transmitted over 30 000 km in a dispersion-managed system using cross-absorption modulation in an electroabsorption modulator at the receiver. The nonlinear optical transmission characteristic of the modulator increases the signal-to-noise ratio by preferentially suppressing the accumulated amplified spontaneous emission noise of the propagated signal. Fast recovery of the optical absorption under reverse bias allows high data-rate operation without bit-patterning effect. The error-free propagation distance of the dispersion-managed system and its performance is increased as a result of the regeneration.