Achievable Information Rates for Coded Modulation with Hard Decision Decoding for Coherent Fiber-Optic Systems

We analyze the achievable information rates (AIRs) for coded modulation schemes with QAM constellations with both bit-wise and symbol-wise decoders, corresponding to the case where a binary code is used in combination with a higher-order modulation using the bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) paradigm and to the case where a nonbinary code over a field matched to the constellation size is used, respectively. In particular, we consider hard decision decoding, which is the preferable option for fiber-optic communication systems where decoding complexity is a concern. Recently, Liga \emph{et al.} analyzed the AIRs for bit-wise and symbol-wise decoders considering what the authors called \emph{hard decision decoder} which, however, exploits \emph{soft information} of the transition probabilities of discrete-input discrete-output channel resulting from the hard detection. As such, the complexity of the decoder is essentially the same as the complexity of a soft decision decoder. In this paper, we analyze instead the AIRs for the standard hard decision decoder, commonly used in practice, where the decoding is based on the Hamming distance metric. We show that if standard hard decision decoding is used, bit-wise decoders yield significantly higher AIRs than symbol-wise decoders. As a result, contrary to the conclusion by Liga \emph{et al.}, binary decoders together with the BICM paradigm are preferable for spectrally-efficient fiber-optic systems. We also design binary and nonbinary staircase codes and show that, in agreement with the AIRs, binary codes yield better performance.Comment: Published in IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology, 201

Performance Prediction of Nonbinary Forward Error Correction in Optical Transmission Experiments

In this paper, we compare different metrics to predict the error rate of optical systems based on nonbinary forward error correction (FEC). It is shown that the correct metric to predict the performance of coded modulation based on nonbinary FEC is the mutual information. The accuracy of the prediction is verified in a detailed example with multiple constellation formats, FEC overheads in both simulations and optical transmission experiments over a recirculating loop. It is shown that the employed FEC codes must be universal if performance prediction based on thresholds is used. A tutorial introduction into the computation of the threshold from optical transmission measurements is also given.Comment: submitted to IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technolog

High Data Rate Coherent Optical OFDM System for Long-Haul Transmission

The growth in internet traffic has driven the increase in demand for bandwidth and high data rates. Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing is considered as a promising technology to satisfy the increased demand for bandwidth in broadband services. Optical OFDM received a great attention after proposing it as a modulation technique for the long-haul transmission in both direct and coherent detection. However, Coherent Optical OFDM (CO-OFDM) is the next generation technology for the optical communications, since it integrates the advantages of both coherent systems and OFDM systems. It has the ability to overcome many optical fiber restrictions such as chromatic dispersion (CD) and polarization mode dispersion (PMD). Moreover, Integrating the Coherent Optical OFDM with Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) systems will provide the transmission system with a high bandwidth, a significant data rates, and a high spectral efficiency without increasing the cost or the complexity of the system. WDM systems help to enhance the capacity and the data rate of the system by sending multiple wavelengths over a single fiber. This research focuses on the implementation and performance analysis of high data rate coherent optical OFDM for long-haul transmission. The study starts with a single user and extends to the implanting of the WDM system. OptiSystem-12 simulation tool is fully used to design and implement the system. The system utilizes to carry range of data rates start from 10 Gbps to 1 Tbps, 4-QAM (2 bits-per-symbol) is used a modulation type for the OFDM signal, Optical I/Q modulation is employed at the transmitter and coherent detection is employed at the receiver. The performance of the system is studied and analyzed system in terms of Bit-Error-Rate (BER), the effect of the transmission distance on the Optical-Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (OSNR), and the relation of BER and OSNR with regard to the transmission distance

Multidimensional Optimized Optical Modulation Formats

This chapter overviews the relatively large body of work (experimental and theoretical) on modulation formats for optical coherent links. It first gives basic definitions and performance metrics for modulation formats that are common in the literature. Then, the chapter discusses optimization of modulation formats in coded systems. It distinguishes between three cases, depending on the type of decoder employed, which pose quite different requirements on the choice of modulation format. The three cases are soft-decision decoding, hard-decision decoding, and iterative decoding, which loosely correspond to weak, medium, and strong coding, respectively. The chapter also discusses the realizations of the transmitter and transmission link properties and the receiver algorithms, including DSP and decoding. It further explains how to simply determine the transmitted symbol from the received 4D vector, without resorting to a full search of the Euclidean distances to all points in the whole constellation

Analysis of system capacity and spectral efficiency of fixed-grid network

In this article, the performance of a fixed grid network is examined for various modulation formats to estimate the system's capacity and spectral efficiency. The optical In-phase Quadrature Modulator structure is used to build a fixed grid network modulation, and the homodyne detection approach is used for the receiver. Data multiplexing is accomplished using the Polarization Division Multiplexed technology. 100 Gbps, 150 Gbps, and 200 Gbps data rates are transmitted under these circumstances utilizing various modulation formats. Various pre-processing and signal recovery steps are explained by using modern digital signal processing systems. The achieved spectrum efficiencies for PM-QPSK, PM-8 QAM, and PM-16 QAM, respectively, were 2, 3, and 4 bits/s/Hz. Different modulation like PM-QPSK, PM-8-QAM, and PM-16-QAM each has system capacities of 8-9, 12-13.5, and 16-18 Tbps and it reaches transmission distances of 3000, 1300, and 700 kilometers with acceptable Bit Error Rate less than equal to 2*10-3 respectively. Peak optical power for received signal detection and full width at half maximum is noted for the different modulations under a fixed grind network

Achievable information rates of nonbinary codes for optical fiber transmission

Achievable information rates (AIRs) are calculated for optical fiber systems employing soft-decision and hard-decision nonbinary codes. We show that, despite the lower decoding complexity, hard-decision AIRs approach soft-decision AIRs for high spectral efficiencies and long transmission distances

Increasing Achievable Information Rates via Geometric Shaping

Achievable information rates are used as a metric to design novel modulation formats via geometric shaping. The proposed geometrically shaped 256-ary constellation achieves SNR gains of up to 1.18 dB.Comment: Additional references have been adde