2048-QAM transmission at 15 GBd over 100 km using geometric constellation shaping

We experimentally investigated a pilot-aided digital signal processing (DSP) chain in combination with high-order geometric constellation shaping to increase the achievable information rates (AIRs) in standard intradyne coherent transmission systems. We show that the AIR of our system at 15 GBd was maximised using geometrically-shaped (GS) 2048 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), reaching 18.0 b/4D-symbol in back-to-back transmission and 16.9 b/4D-symbol after transmission through 100 km of a single-mode fibre after subtracting the pilot overhead (OH). This represents the highest-order GS format demonstrated to date, supporting the highest AIR of any standard intradyne system using conventional optics and 8-bit electronics. Detailed characterisation of the DSP, transceiver performance, and transmission modelling has also been carried out to provide insight into sources of impairments and directions for further improvement

Relative impact of channel symbol rate on transmission capacity

Through C+L band transmission experiments and theoretical modeling, we investigate the impact of channel symbol rate (30, 40, 60, and 85 GBd) on the performance of data center interconnection, metropolitan, and core network distances. Two different transponder architectures are investigated: (a) single-carrier receiver and (b) multi-carrier receiver, where multiple subcarriers are received together in a single wideband receiver. The architectures of both receivers experience a reduction in the achievable information rate as the channel symbol rate increases due to dominating transceiver noise; this holds over all tested transmission distances. However, the multi-carrier receiver shows a weaker performance dependency on symbol rate, as receiver-related impairments dominate. When testing the single-carrier receiver after 630 km, we find that by increasing the channel symbol rate from 40 to 85 GBd, gross capacity decreases by 16%; however, the required number of transceivers to fill the transmission window decreases by 52%. Using the multi-carrier receiver reduces receiver count further. This potentially impacts the cost and complexity of deploying fully loaded transmission systems

Frequency-modulated Chirp Signals for Single-photodiode Based Coherent LiDAR System

In this paper, we investigate two categories of linear frequency-modulated chirp signals suitable for single-photodiode based coherent light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems, namely, the frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) single-sideband (SSB) signal and the amplitude-modulated double-sideband (DSB) signal, and compare their achievable receiver sensitivity performance. The DSB signal requires a simpler transmitter design, as it is real-valued and can be generated using a single-drive Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM), while the SSB signal, which is frequency/phase modulated, requires an in-phase and quadrature modulator (IQM)-based transmitter. A theoretical analysis of direct-detection (DD) beating interference (BI) especially the local oscillator (LO) beating with itself, known as LO-LO BI, is presented. Both Monte Carlo simulations and experimental demonstrations are carried out. Good agreement between simulations and experiments is achieved. In comparison with the SSB system, the DSB signal-based system is affected by laser phase noise-induced power fluctuation, and also suffers a significant sensitivity penalty due to nonlinear LO-LO BI. A spectral guard band for mitigating LO-LO BI is necessary for the DSB signal, achieved at the expense of requiring a larger electrical bandwidth. In system tests with a delay line of 385 m, the SSB signal outperforms the DSB signal with a 10 dB better receiver sensitivity in the case with a guard band, and 25 dB better sensitivity without a guard band

Columnar and Equiaxed Solidification of Al-7 wt.% Si Alloys in Reduced Gravity in the Framework of the CETSOL Project

International audienceDuring casting, often a dendritic microstructure is formed, resulting in a columnar or an equiaxed grain structure, or leading to a transition from columnar to equiaxed growth (CET). The detailed knowledge of the critical parameters for the CET is important because the microstructure affects materials properties. To provide unique data for testing of fundamental theories of grain and microstructure formation, solidification experiments in microgravity environment were performed within the European Space Agency Microgravity Application Promotion (ESA MAP) project Columnar-to-Equiaxed Transition in SOLidification Processing (CETSOL). Reduced gravity allows for purely diffusive solidification conditions, i.e., suppressing melt flow and sedimentation and floatation effects. On-board the International Space Station, Al-7 wt.% Si alloys with and without grain refiners were solidified in different temperature gradients and with different cooling conditions. Detailed analysis of the microstructure and the grain structure showed purely columnar growth for nonrefined alloys. The CET was detected only for refined alloys, either as a sharp CET in the case of a sudden increase in the solidification velocity or as a progressive CET in the case of a continuous decrease of the temperature gradient. The present experimental data were used for numerical modeling of the CET with three different approaches: (1) a front tracking model using an equiaxed growth model, (2) a three-dimensional (3D) cellular automaton–finite element model, and (3) a 3D dendrite needle network method. Each model allows for predicting the columnar dendrite tip undercooling and the growth rate with respect to time. Furthermore, the positions of CET and the spatial extent of the CET, being sharp or progressive, are in reasonably good quantitative agreement with experimental measurements

Development of Conventional and Real-Time Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification Assays for Detection of Chlamydophila pneumoniae in Respiratory Specimens

Isothermal nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) was applied to the detection of Chlamydophila pneumoniae 16S rRNA by using the NucliSens basic kit (bioMérieux, Boxtel, The Netherlands). The assay was originally developed as a conventional NASBA assay with electrochemiluminescence detection and was subsequently adapted to a real-time NASBA format by using a molecular beacon. C. pneumoniae RNA prepared from a plasmid construct was used to assess the analytical sensitivity of the assay. The sensitivity of the NASBA assay was 10 molecules of in vitro wild-type C. pneumoniae RNA and 0.1 inclusion-forming unit (IFU) of C. pneumoniae. In spiked respiratory specimens, the sensitivity of the C. pneumoniae NASBA assay varied between 0.1 and 1 IFU/100 μl sample, depending on the type of specimen. Finally, conventional and real-time NASBA were applied to respiratory specimens previously tested by PCR. A 100% concordance between the test results was obtained