High speed gain-switched laser as very simple 4/spl times/10 Gbit/s and up to 8/spl times/10 Gbit/s OTDM source

1.55 /spl mu/m DFB lasers based on strain compensated MQW structures with fast dynamics and high chirping effects were fabricated for standard gain-switched pulse emission at 10 GHz. After linear pulse compression to compensate for the chirp, low jitter (<1 ps), -6 ps pulses with extinction ratio compatible with 4/spl times/10 Gbit/s and up to 8/spl times/10 Gbit/s were easily obtained as evidenced from streak camera measurements.