Optical fibre network

Abstract

An optical fiber network comprises a laser source () configured to generate laser light of a plurality of wavelengths. A first optical fiber (), transmits multi-wavelength light from the laser source to a location remote from the laser source. A wavelength division multiplexer () at the remote location () is connected to a plurality of second optical fibers (). A plurality of optical modulators () are each connected optically to the wavelength division multiplexer () via a respective second optical fiber (). The wavelength division multiplexer () is arranged to de-multiplex the multi-wavelength light received from the first optical fiber () into a plurality of wavelengths and to supply a respective wavelength to each of the second optical fibers (). The optical modulators () are reflective optical modulators each arranged to modulate light received from the associated second optical fiber () with a data signal and to reflect the modulated light back along the second optical fiber (). The wavelength division multiplexer () is arranged to multiplex the modulated light from all of the second optical fibers () into a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal for onward transmission along a third optical fiber ().