To spread or not to spread: the myths of optical CDMA

In a spread spectrum system, the signal is transmitted using a bandwidth much larger than that required for the transmitted data. By spreading the signal energy over a very broad bandwidth, one can obtain a multitude of benefits. Firstly, one can make the signal difficult to detect by lowering its spectral density and hiding it under noise. Secondly, spreading also makes jamming a much more difficult task, as a high jamming power is required over a broad spectrum