Lightwave communications

The full range of lightwave communications applications including optical data links and interfaces for point-to-point data networks are discussed. Different network architectures for lightwave local area networks are also discussed, including the fiber distributed data interface and the manufacturing automatic protocol. Long-haul digital systems are mentioned, with special emphasis on the microwave aspects of gigabit systems. Coherent lightwave systems are reviewed with emphasis on the equivalence between such systems and microwave technology. Problems are examined which have been addressed in microwave systems and which are now being encountered in coherent lightwave systems and being solved by analogy to microwave technology. The author concludes with a short look into the future and a discussion of the fundamental problems that have yet to be solved in order to make certain exploratory systems practical