50 km error-free 10 Gbit/s WDM transmission using directly modulated long-wavelength VCSELs

The first long-wavelength VCSEL based WDM link over a distance of 50 km is demonstrated. Error-free transmission at a speed of 10 Gbit/s is achieved over 50 km of standard singlemode fibre. The link comprises four individually modulated L-band VCSELs each transmitting at a speed of 2.5 Gbit/s. No crosstalk is observed between channels. Our system is suitable for deployment in metro networks where low cost combined with high data rates are paramount.