Abstract
The performance of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
ultra wideband radio signals distribution in dispersion compensated
(DC) long-reach passive optical networks (LR-PONs) is assessed
numerically for conventional chirpless Mach–Zehnder (MZ) and chirped
linearized (L) electro-optic modulators (EOMs). The optimum
modulation index and the minimum required optical signal-to-noise
ratio are evaluated for optical network units (ONUs) at different
distances from the optical line termination (OLT). The degradation
due to first-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD), fiber
nonlinearity, phase noise due to the Kerr effect, and the phase
noise due to finite laser linewidth is assessed as well. It is shown
that the use of dispersion compensation in LR-PONs employing the
MZ-EOM is a powerful solution to mitigate the dispersion-induced
power fading. It is also shown that, contrarily to the L-EOM case,
the same optimum voltage level at the EOM input is required by DC
LR-PONs employing the MZ modulator, independently of the ONUs
distances. In addition, an optical signal-to-noise ratio penalty not
exceeding 0.5 dB due to first order PMD effect is obtained for a PMD
parameter below 0.5 ps·km<sup>-1/2</sup> and for a fiber
nonlinearity corresponding to a nonlinear phase shift not exceeding
11 mrad. This conclusion holds for pre (at the OLT) and post (at the
remote node) compensation schemes. The performance degradation
induced by the laser phase noise is also negligible in DC LR-PONs
for typical laser linewidths due to the reduced phase-to-intensity
noise conversion.
© 2011 IEEE
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