Ultra-low-jitter multiwavelength synchronised optical pulse source for C-, L- and U-bands

A novel self-starting optoelectronic oscillator that uses a single electroabsorption modulator in a fibre-extended cavity to generate synchronised optical pulses simultaneously at multiple wavelengths is demonstrated. We have generated 10 GHz-rate optical pulses simultaneously at eight wavelengths in the C-band, each with the lowest timing jitter (42 fs in the 100 Hz to 1 MHz range) reported to date for self-starting sources. Potential for operation in the L- and U-communication bands is also demonstrated.