Towards 50G/100G Passive Optical Networks with Digital Equalisation and Coherent Detection

Increasing bandwidth demand in residential, business, and Wi-Fi/cellular backhaul applications means that passive optical networks (PONs) with dense wavelength division multiplexing and bit rates per wavelength channel of 50 or 100 Gb/s will soon be required [1]. However, PON technologies need to be low cost, particularly the optical network units (ONUs). Additionally, the high optical losses arising from the optical splitters used at remote nodes to distribute the signals to and from multiple ONUs, lead to the requirement for high receiver sensitivity. Coherent receivers, since they surpass the sensitivity limitations of the intensity-modulated direct-detection (IMDD) systems currently used, are an attractive solution [2] - [4]. Besides its sensitivity, coherent detection provides other advantages. The local oscillator achieves good wavelength selectivity, avoiding the need for narrow optical bandpass filters. The use of digital signal processing (DSP) enables spectrally efficient signalling and digital equalization of optical transmission impairments

Digital Back Propagation via Sub-band Processing in Spatial Multiplexing Systems

An advanced digital backward-propagation (DBP) method using a separate-channels approach (SCA) is investigated for the compensation of inter-channel nonlinearities in spatial- and wavelength-multiplexed systems. Compared to the conventional DBP, intra- and inter-mode cross-phase modulation can be efficiently compensated by including the effect of the inter-channel walk-off in the nonlinear step of the split-step Fourier method. We found that the SCA-DBP relaxes the step size requirements by a factor of 10, while improving performance by 0.8 dB for large walk-off and strong linear coupling. For the first time, it is shown that in spatial multiplexed systems transmission performance can be improved by sub-band processing of back propagated channels

Experimental Demonstration of a Simplified SOA Nonlinearity Mitigation scheme

We experimentally demonstrated a digital learned-filter mitigation scheme for semiconductor optical amplifier-induced nonlinear distortion of single-polarisation 32 GBd 16QAM and 64QAM signals in a back-to-back configuration

The Benefits of Using the S-Band in Optical Fiber Communications and How to Get There

The throughput gains of extending the optical transmission bandwidth to the S+C+L-band are quantified using a Gaussian Noise model that accounts for inter-channel stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS). The impact of potential ISRS mitigation strategies, such as dynamic gain equalization and power optimization, are investigated

Digital back-propagation for nonlinearity mitigation in distributed Raman amplified links

The performance of digital back-propagation (DBP) for distributed Raman amplified optical communication systems is evaluated through analytical models and numerical simulations, and is compared with conventional lumped amplifier solutions, such as EDFA. The complexity of the DBP algorithm including the characteristic signal power profile of distributed Raman amplifiers is assessed. The use of full-field DBP in distributed Raman amplified systems leads to 1.3 dB additional gain with respect to systems employing lumped amplification, at the cost of only a 25% increase in complexity

A Closed-Form Expression to Evaluate Nonlinear Interference in Raman-Amplified Links

An accurate, closed-form expression to evaluate the nonlinear interference (NLI) noise power in Nyquist-spaced, coherent optical communication systems using backward-pumped Raman amplification is presented. This enables rapid estimation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and avoids the need of integral evaluations and split-step simulations. The accuracy of the proposed formula is compared to numerical integration of the Gaussian noise (GN) model and split-step simulations over a wide range of parameters, including three different fiber types. Additionally, the impact of pump depletion on the NLI noise power is studied and the formula is applied to a second-order Raman-amplified system. In the case of first-order amplification and negligible pump depletion, a maximum deviation of 0.34 dB in NLI coefficient between the GN model and the closed-form formula is found which corresponds to a maximum deviation of 0.1 dB in optimal SNR or similar figures of merit (e.g., maximum reach). When pump depletion is considered, it is shown that the NLI coefficient becomes a function of launch power and as a result the cubic power dependence of the NLI noise power is no longer valid in such regimes. Finally, for the second-order Raman-amplified system, a maximum deviation of 0.39 dB in NLI coefficient is reported

A Closed-form Expression for the Gaussian Noise Model in the Presence of Raman Amplification

A closed-form model for the nonlinear interference (NLI) in Raman amplified links is presented, the formula accounts for both forward (FW) and backward (BW) pumping schemes and inter-channel stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS) effect. The formula also accounts for an arbitrary number of pumps, wavelength-dependent fibre parameters, launch-power profiles, and is tested over a distributed Raman-amplified system setup. The formula is suitable for ultra-wideband (UWB) optical transmission systems and is applied in a signal with 13 THz optical bandwidth corresponding to transmission over the S-, C-, and L- band. The accuracy of the closed-form formula is validated through comparison with numerical integration of the Gaussian noise (GN) model and split-step Fourier method (SSFM) simulations in a point-to-point transmission link

Joint estimation of dynamic polarization and carrier phase with pilot-based adaptive equalizer in PDM-64 QAM transmission system

A pilot-based adaptive equalizer is investigated for high cardinality polarizationdivision-multiplexing quadrature amplitude modulation transmission systems. Pilot symbols are periodically inserted for joint estimation of the dynamic state of polarization (SOP) and carrier phase, in a least mean square (LMS) sense. Compared to decision-directed least mean square (DDLMS) equalization and radially-directed equalization, the proposed equalizer can achieve robust equalization and phase estimation, especially in low optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) scenarios. In an experiment on 56 GBaud PDM-64 QAM transmission over 400 km standard single-mode fiber, we obtained at least 0.35 bit per symbol generalized mutual information (GMI) improvement compared with other training symbol-based equalization when tracking 600 krad/s dynamic SOP. With the joint estimation scheme, the equalization performance will not be compromised even if the SOP speed reaches 600 krad/s or the laser linewidth approaches 2 MHz. For the first time, it is demonstrated that the pilot-based equalizer can track dynamic SOP rotation and compensate for fiber linear impairments without any cycle slips under extreme conditions

The Gaussian Noise Model in the Presence of Inter-channel Stimulated Raman Scattering

A Gaussian noise (GN) model, precisely accounting for an arbitrary frequency dependent signal power profile along the link, is presented. This allows accurate evaluation of the impact of inter-channel stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS) on the optical Kerr nonlinearity. Additionally, the frequency dependent fiber attenuation can be taken into account and transmission systems that use hybrid amplification schemes can be modeled, where distributed Raman amplification is partly applied over the optical spectrum. For the latter two cases, a set of coupled ordinary differential equations must be numerically solved to obtain the signal power profile yielding a semianalytical model. However for lumped amplification and negligible variation in fiber attenuation, a less complex and fully analytical model is presented denoted as the analytical ISRS GN model. The derived model is exact to first-order for Gaussian modulated signals and extensively validated by numerical split-step simulations. A maximum deviation of only 0.1 dB in nonlinear interference power between simulations and the ISRS GN model is reported. The model is applied to a transmission system that occupies the entire C + L band (10 THz optical bandwidth). At optimum launch power, changes of up to 2 dB in nonlinear interference power due to ISRS are reported. The ISRS GN model is quantitatively compared with other models published in the literature and found to be significantly more accurate