Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 June 2006
In this paper an analysis of optical fiber chromatic dispersion in noisy interferometric system is introduced. The interferometric relative intensity noise (IRIN) is derived in interferometric systems, by considering all effects such as the optical fiber chromatic dispersion and white noise applied to light from a laser diode. The direct relative intensity noise (RIN) is compared with the RIN caused by phase-to-intensity noise conversion. Numerical calculations reveal that the optical fiber chromatic dispersion can enhance significantly the IRIN magnitude and lead to a shift of the IRIN dips. The results can be employed to estimate the influence of the chromatic dispersion in phase-to-intensity noise conversion, which use either self-delayed interferences or interferometers.