@ARTICLE{Shoukat_Adeel_Optical_2026,
 author={Shoukat, Adeel and Munir, Abid and Niazi, Shahab Ahmad and Ahmad, Zulfiqar},
 volume={34},
 number={2},
 pages={e158737},
 journal={Opto-Electronics Review},
 howpublished={online},
 year={2026},
 publisher={Polish Academy of Sciences (under the auspices of the Committee on Electronics and Telecommunication) and Association of Polish Electrical Engineers in cooperation with Military University of Technology},
 abstract={Multi-carrier signal generation techniques are important in various photonic application domains. Multi-carrier sources having stable frequency responses, narrow line width and adequate spectral flatness can be used instead of laser arrays. One of the major applications of multi-carrier sources relates to high-speed optical communication networks. Optical systems such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) and dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) systems transmit information using multiple carriers on a single channel to improve the spectral efficiency of the transmission system. Traditional systems use multiple laser sources to generate multi-carriers, one for each channel with minimal phase coherence. Optical frequency combs (OFCs) generate optical subcarrier/carriers from a single laser source with improved phase and space coherence using different electro-optic schemes. Contrary to standard lasers, OFCs-based optical carriers provide reduced cost, flexibility, and improved spectral efficiency. In recent years, numerous publications have reported a variety of techniques to implement OFC and have succeeded in generating a wide range of carriers. For a comprehensive understanding of OFCs, it is essential to summarise and compare the techniques from a practical perspective, emphasising their real-world applications, advantages, and limitations. This review examines the characteristics of optical multi-carrier generators, providing a detailed comparison of different techniques. Furthermore, the transmission properties of these methods are analysed with focus on key practical factors, including flexibility, cost-efficiency, and power consumption. Lastly, potential challenges and future research directions relevant to real-world implementations are highlighted in this review.},
 title={Optical frequency comb generation techniques: An overview},
 type={Review},
 URL={http://www.journals.pan.pl/Content/138923/OPELRE_2026_34_2_A_Shoukat.pdf},
 keywords={optical communication, sub-carrier generation, optical frequency comb, super channels, optical modulation},
}