An optical code-division multiple-access (O-CDMA) apparatus, network, and communications method. A transmitter data modulates (190) a sequence of ultra-fast (~1ps) pulses (182). An encoder wavelength demultiplexes (192) the pulses. The wavelength components are separately phase modulated (198) according to a first CDMA code and wavelength multiplexed (194) for transmission on an optical network (174, 178). A receiver includes a decoder performing similar demultiplexing (200), phase modulating (206) according to a second CDMA code, and multiplexing (202). The receiver detects (220) the resultant signal. If the two CDMA codes match, the detected signal replicates the data-modulated pulses. The apparatus may be formed in as few as one substrate. The encoder/decoder structure may be used to compensate the dispersion of a fiber. A short-pulse detector includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (216) having two semiconductor amplifier regions (217, 218) in its two arms (212, 214) with differential delay/phase between them. A probe signal (210) and the signal to be detected are both split into the arms together and thereafter differenced on the output.
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