Regarding your question, FFT and IFFT are used in OFDM receiver, and FFT and IFFT can achieve OFDM functions without O-E or E-O conversion. Also, FFT can be applied to demultiplex the optical OFDM super channel signal. IFFT/FFT are usually contained appropriate temporal delays and phase shifts. In the IFFT configuration, the input signal must be discrete signals at each subcarrier frequency or at least having time interval less than τ. The FFT/IFFT conditions are satisfied when the cyclic AWG’s wavelength selection conditions are met. So, AWGs can be used for the realization of all-optical OFDM systems providing high-throughput, modulation-transparent operation.
I attached a configuration of the FFT and IFFT for AWG
Regarding your question, FFT and IFFT are used in OFDM receiver, and FFT and IFFT can achieve OFDM functions without O-E or E-O conversion. Also, FFT can be applied to demultiplex the optical OFDM super channel signal. IFFT/FFT are usually contained appropriate temporal delays and phase shifts. In the IFFT configuration, the input signal must be discrete signals at each subcarrier frequency or at least having time interval less than τ. The FFT/IFFT conditions are satisfied when the cyclic AWG’s wavelength selection conditions are met. So, AWGs can be used for the realization of all-optical OFDM systems providing high-throughput, modulation-transparent operation.
I attached a configuration of the FFT and IFFT for AWG