H.P.A. van den Boom

Discrete Multitone Modulation for Maximizing Transmission Rate in Step-Index Plastic Optical Fibers

The use of standard 1-mm core-diameter step-index plastic optical fiber (SI-POF) has so far been mainly limited to distances of up to 100 m and bit-rates in the order of 100 Mbit/s. By use of digital signal processing, transmission performance of such optical links can be improved. Among the different technical solutions proposed, a promising one is based on the use of discrete multitone (DMT) modulation, directly applied to intensity-modulated, direct detection (IM/DD) SI-POF links. This paper presents an overview of DMT over SI-POF and demonstrates how DMT can be used to improve transmission rate in such IM/DD systems. The achievable capacity of an SI-POF channel is first analyzed theoretically and then validated by experimental results. Additionally, first experimental demonstrations of a real-time DMT over SI-POF system are presented and discussed.

Silicon Photonic Integrated Mode Multiplexer and Demultiplexer

A novel passive integrated optical circuit for mode-multiplexing and demultiplexing six channels, LP01 and LP11 modes in a few-moded fiber, is designed and tested. A push-pull solution is proposed and demonstrated to excite the LP11 modes with a high extinction ratio. The circuit can outperform present bulk-optics solutions through its compactness and stability, and it has the potential advantages of high coupling efficiency and excellent mode crosstalk suppression.

High-capacity transmission over polymer optical fiber

Polymer optical fiber (POF) is a promising transmission medium to provide broad-band telecommunication services within the customers premises. POF offers several attractive features for data transmission such as broad bandwidth and low cost for in-house, access, and local-area-network (LAN) applications. This paper presents a review on optical transmission systems using POF and their enabling technologies. A summary is given of experimental data links with record capacity over record transmission distances. To conclude, we discuss trends for further development and research.

Noise characteristics of single-mode semiconductor lasers under external light injection

Presents a theoretical investigation of the noise behavior of a semiconductor laser operating under relatively strong light injection. Equations have been presented to describe the noise effect through the calculation of the relative intensity noise as well as the carrier-to-noise ratio available at the receiving end. Illustrative examples are given, showing the impact of the master and slave laser bias currents. Also, the injection-locked and free-running operation regimes have been comparatively analyzed. The results show how the noise characteristics are affected by optical injection and, consequently, how the operating conditions must be chosen to reduce this effect. In particular, it is shown, in agreement with previous works, that the master laser emission noise will essentially take the lead. As a result, to improve the noise behavior by injection locking a solitary laser, the use of a low-noise master laser is required. To make it easy to apply the present results to any laser diode under the stable-locking condition, the necessary relations are explicitly given before specifying the parameters of simulation.

Low-Cost and Robust 1-Gbit/s Plastic Optical Fiber Link Based on Light-Emitting Diode Technology

1-Gbit/s transmission is demonstrated over 50 m of step-index PMMA plastic optical fiber (1-mm core-diameter) using a commercial light-emitting diode. This is enabled by use of discrete multitone modulation with up to 64-QAM constellation mapping.

Data transmission over polymer optical fibers

Polymer optical fiber (POF) is a promising transmission medium for providing broadband telecommunication services within the customers premises. POF offers several attractive features for data transmission such as broad bandwidth and low cost for in-house, access, and LAN applications. This article presents a review on optical transmission systems using POF and their enabling technologies. A summary is given of experimental data links with record capacity over record transmission distances. Standardization activities in POF technology and transmission are reported. To conclude, we discuss trends for further development and research.

30-Gb/s Bidirectional Transparent Optical Transmission With an MMF Access and an Indoor Optical Wireless Link

This letter describes a 30-Gb/s bidirectional transparent optical transmission, over a 4.4-km multimode fiber (MMF) in combination with an indoor optical wireless (OW) link, which could provide limited mobility. Due to MMFs advantages, such as lower installation costs and easy maintenance, it is used as the access link. To enhance the MMFs bandwidth and provide the feasibility to use standard single-mode devices in the OW terminal (OWT), center launching and center detection techniques are both utilized. The stability of the indoor OW channel and the modal noise in MMF are investigated. Discrete multitone modulation with power and bit loading algorithms are applied to improve systems frequency utilization efficiency and robustness.

Broadband data communication techniques in POF-based networks

Advances in high-speed data transport techniques over polymer optical fibre (POF) networks are reviewed. New approaches such as mode group diversity multiplexing and optical frequency multiplying to carry microwave signals for wireless applications promise even further extension of the POF system capabilities.

Ultrawideband Signal Distribution Over Large-Core POF for In-Home Networks

A proof-of-concept real-time high definition (HD) video stream delivered over 50 m of 1 mm core diameter graded index plastic optical fiber and 3 m wireless link employing multiband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing ultrawideband (UWB) technology is studied and demonstrated. The HD video signal encapsulated into UWB frames exhibited an error vector magnitude performance of 11.9%, which is compliant with Federal Communications Commission requirements. Low-cost and off-the-shelf components were employed to realize a cost-effective solution for broadband in-home networks.

61.3-Gbps Hybrid Fiber-Wireless In-Home Network Enabled by Optical Heterodyne and Polarization Multiplexing

A hybrid fiber-wireless in-home network is proposed to support high-speed multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems operating at millimeter wave (mm-wave) band by employing optical heterodyne (OH) and polarization multiplexing (PolMux). OH enables the optical generation of mm-wave signals without the intrinsic frequency limitation of electrical local oscillators. Moreover, the frequency agility can be provided by tuning the optical wavelength in an OH system. PolMux explores two orthogonal polarizations at the same optical wavelength to satisfy the wireless MIMO service with low additional cost. Enabled by these techniques, the fiber transmission (1 km) and wireless delivery (1 m) of 61.3-Gbps data at 40-GHz mm-wave are successfully demonstrated. To the best of our knowledge, a record spectral efficiency of 6.82 bit/s/Hz is achieved in such kind of systems.