Bit error evaluation of optically preamplified direct detection receiver with Fabry-Perot optical filters

The error performance of a preamplified, direct detection receiver with an optical filter of the Lorentzian type is studied. The analysis takes into account the influence of the optical intersymbol interference (ISI). A closed-form expression of the moment generating function (MGF) of the decision variable is derived. Error probabilities are evaluated from the MGF using a saddlepoint approximation. The Gaussian approximation is also examined. The detection sensitivity in terms of a quantum limit is calculated. The results show that there exists an optimum optical bandwidth, the reason being a tradeoff between the effect of ISI and the spontaneous emission noise. It is also shown that the Gaussian approximation gives a good estimate of the error probability, allowing to find in a simple manner the optimum parameters of optically preamplified, direct detection receive

Uplink Design in VLC Systems with IR Sources and Beam Steering

The need for high-speed local area networks to meet the recent developments in multimedia and video transmission applications has recently focused interest on visible light communication (VLC) systems. Although VLC systems provide lighting and communications simultaneously from light emitting diodes, LEDs, the uplink channel design in such a system is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose a solution in which the uplink challenge in indoor VLC is resolved by the use of an Infrared (IR) link. We introduce a novel fast adaptive beam steering IR system (FABS-IR) to improve the uplink performance at high data rates while providing security for applications. The goal of our proposed system is to enhance the received optical power signal, speed up the adaptation process and mitigate the channel delay spread when the system operates at a high transmission rate. The channel delay spread is minimised from 0.22 ns given by hybrid diffuse IR link to almost 0.07 ns. At 2.5 Gb/s, our results show that the imaging FABS-IR system accomplished about 11.7 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the presence of multipath dispersion, receiver noise and transmitter mobility

Optical Communication with Semiconductor Laser Diode

Theoretical and experimental performance limits of a free-space direct detection optical communication system were studied using a semiconductor laser diode as the optical transmitter and a silicon avalanche photodiode (APD) as the receiver photodetector. Optical systems using these components are under consideration as replacements for microwave satellite communication links. Optical pulse position modulation (PPM) was chosen as the signal format. An experimental system was constructed that used an aluminum gallium arsenide semiconductor laser diode as the transmitter and a silicon avalanche photodiode photodetector. The system used Q=4 PPM signaling at a source data rate of 25 megabits per second. The PPM signal format requires regeneration of PPM slot clock and word clock waveforms in the receiver. A nearly exact computational procedure was developed to compute receiver bit error rate without using the Gaussion approximation. A transition detector slot clock recovery system using a phase lock loop was developed and implemented. A novel word clock recovery system was also developed. It was found that the results of the nearly exact computational procedure agreed well with actual measurements of receiver performance. The receiver sensitivity achieved was the closest to the quantum limit yet reported for an optical communication system of this type

Exact analytical evaluation of second-order PMD impact on the outage probability for a compensated system

An exact analytical method for evaluating the outage probability due to second-order polarization mode dispersion in a system with first-order compensation is presented. In an uncompensated system the outage is mainly due to the mean differential group delay, whereas higher order effects have low impact. It is shown that in a compensated system all orders contribute to the outage probability, whereas accounting for exact second-order only gives a slight overestimate. Approximate second-order models leaving residual higher order effects may lead to very different outage probabilities

Distortion in linearized electrooptic modulators

Intermodulation and harmonic distortion are calculated for a simple fiber-optic link with a representative set of link parameters and a variety of electrooptic modulators: simple Mach-Zehnder, linearized dual and triple Mach-Zehnder, simple directional coupler (two operating points), and linearized directional coupler with one and two dc electrodes. The resulting dynamic ranges, gains, and noise figures are compared for these modulators. A new definition of dynamic range is proposed to accommodate the more complicated variation of intermodulation with input power exhibited by linearized modulators. The effects of noise bandwidth, preamplifier distortion, and errors in modulator operating conditions are described

Nonintrusive fast response oxygen monitoring system for high temperature flows

A new technique has been developed for nonintrusive in situ measurement of oxygen concentration, gas temperature, and flow velocity of the test media in hypersonic wind tunnels. It is based on absorption of near-infrared radiation from inexpensive GaAlAs laser diodes used in optoelectronics industry. It is designed for simultaneous measurements along multiple lines of sight accessed by fiber optics. Molecular oxygen concentration is measured from the magnitude of absorption signals; rotational gas temperature is measured from the intensity ratio of two oxygen absorption lines; and the flow velocity is measured from the Doppler shift of the absorption line positions. This report describes the results of an extensive series of tests of the prototype instrument in laboratory flames emphasizing assessment of the instruments capabilities for quantitative measurement of O2 concentration (mole fraction) and gas temperature