Optical CDMA in Broadband Communication – Scope and Applications

This paper explores the scope and applicability of optical code division multiple access schemes, in catering to the ambitious network requirements of the future subscriber population. A comprehensive report is made of the latest scenario that optical CDMA offers to the local area network environment in particular, and to broadband service sector in general. Different aspects of OCDMA communication systems are presented, tracing the chronological evolution spanning over the past two decades. The review concludes that notwithstanding the yet-to-mature optical component technology, OCDMA stands as a viable alternative to the prevalent multiple access methods in some broadband applications.