S. Abrate

A Media Converter Prototype for 10-Mb/s Ethernet Transmission Over 425 m of Large-Core Step-Index Polymer Optical Fiber

A prototype media converter for transmitting 10-Mb/s Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 data over a large-core (1 mm) step-index polymer optical fiber (SI-POF) is presented. The system is demonstrated over a record maximum distance of 425 m, which greatly outperforms, in terms of reach, previously published results and commercially available systems, which are usually limited to approximately 100 m. This extended reach allows to envision new applications of SI-POF such as in the last part of access networks, edge networks, in-house and in-building networks, industrial automation, airplane and ship cabling, and all areas where the resilience and ease of installation of SI-POF can be a fundamental advantage

Equalization Techniques for 100Mb/s Data Rates on SI-POF for Optical Short Reach Applications

In this paper, we propose the combination of 8-PAM modulation, pre-emphasis and adaptive equalization to overcome 1mm-SI-POF bandwidth limitations in optical short reach links. An error-free transmission at 100Mbit/s over 200 m SI-POF is experimentally demonstrated.

Long term PMD characterization of installed G.652 fibers in a metropolitan network

We investigated the long-term PMD (polarization mode dispersion) behavior of a metropolitan G.652 fiber plant of a major Italian telecom operator, installed in Turin, Italy. We found that the expected Maxwellian distribution is not always achieved, as well as other statistical anomalies.

Long-Term PMD Characterization of a Metropolitan G.652 Fiber Plant

Using the Jones matrix eigenanalysis method, the differential group delay (DGD) behavior of a metropolitan G.652 buried operational cable plant of a major Italian telecom operator in the city of Torino was characterized. The measurement campaign lasted 73 consecutive days. An extremely stable DGD behavior was found, despite the fact that the cables run across a very densely built city environment. On the other hand, it was also found that routine maintenance on the infrastructure, although indirect and nondisruptive, repeatedly altered this picture. Based on these results, it is argued that the recently introduced hinge model describes the plant DGD statistical behavior better than the traditional description. This argument is also supported by the close fit that was obtained with a theoretical hinge-model DGD probability density function of the measured DGD data histogram. It is also argued that in this kind of scenario fast adaptive compensation is most likely the only realistic solution for avoiding sudden performance degradation or out-of-service

Demonstration of an extended reach (425 m) Ethernet system over large core polymer optical fibers for access/edge networks

We developed a media-converter and a transceiver for 10 Mb/s Ethernet transmission over 1 mm PMMA step-index polymer optical fibers. Using commercial optoelectronic components and a proprietary protocol, we demonstrate the system over a record distance of 425 meters.

Paving the Optical Future with Affordable Lightning-Fast Links

The POF-ALL project (Paving the Optical Future with Affordable Lightning-fast Links) shall develop a technology to allow delivery of 100+Mbit/s symmetrically to residential users at costs far lower than existing alternatives, thanks to the use of Plastic Optical Fiber (POF). The solution will be targeted at the edge network which, due to its capillarity, is the most expensive part of the access network; and it will be tailored to large residential buildings, which are most common in European cities. In this paper we will describe in detail the consortium composition, the different tasks to be accomplished and the preliminary results obtained during the first year of the project.

Ethernet transmissions over large core polymer optical fibres: demonstration of an extended reach (425 m) LAN system

Optical community has expressed a wide consensus over the idea that 1 mm poly-methil-meta-acrilate step-index fibres (PMMA SI-POF) can be a good candidate in future domotic networks and in edge networks, that is in the last part of access networks, due to their better mechanical behaviour and lower installation and handling costs with respect to conventional 50/125 or 62.5/125 multi-mode glass fibres. Current applications are anyway limited by relatively low transmission performances: up to now, the best performing commercial Ethernet transceivers using PMMA SI-POF are able to reach at the most 200 m at 10 Mb/s or 70 m at 100 Mb/s, thereby keeping these fibres in the niche of very-short reach applications, such as in the automotive market. A Prototype of a media converter for fully compliant 10 Mb/s Ethernet transmissions over PMMA SI-POF experimentally demonstrated the feasibility of >400 m long link, this length may open new applications to PMMA SI-POF. The 425-m record distance presented here has been achieved by both introducing a proprietary protocol implemented over a field programmable gate array platform and by a careful selection of (commercial) optoelectronic components. The prototype is to be considered as a proof-of-concept that PMMA SI-POF can be introduced in new areas such as the last part of access/edge networks or datacom applications in industrial automation or aircrafts/ships cabling. The 400-m distance is, for instance, the specification of an Italian fibre to the home operator for the last part of its access network architecture