100 Gbits/s Line Side Modulation Schemes and Impairments

100G
TECHNICAL POSTER

Constellation Diagram
A constellation diagram is a representation of a signal
modulated by a digital modulation scheme (phase and/or
amplitude). In other words, it shows the possible symbols that
can be selected by a given modulation format as points in the
complex plane.

Eye Diagram

DP-QPSK Transmitter Block Diagram

The eye diagram is a time-domain chart that shows transitions between logical 0 and 1.
It overlaps several periods of the signal on a single chart. It is used to determine many characteristics
of the signal: eye opening, the signal-to-noise ratio, rise time, fall time, etc.

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has recommended using DP-QPSK (dual-polarization
quadrature phase-shift keying) modulation format for 100 Gbit/s system design, since it is
both spectrally efficient and highly resilient to CD and PMD (when coupled with suitable signal
processing algorithms). The block diagram below shows the typical implementation recommend
bythe OIF.

D1

Eye
height

Example of a quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK)

constellation diagram
I = In-phase axis or real part of the signal
Q = Quadrature axis or imaginary part of the signal

Chirp

Clouded constellation and eye diagrams are typically of

poor SNR due to an instrument limitation.

The S-shape transitions of the chirp impairment can stem

from data modulation or from residual fiber dispersion.

I/Q Gain Imbalance

I/Q Quadrature Error

I/Q Modulator Bias Error

This impairment, shown as a rectangular constellation,

is due to a gain that is different in the I port with respect to
the Q port, i.e. the power of RF drive signals
(RF3 and RF4) is not optimized.

A rhombic constellation appears when the I and Q phases

do not show a perfect 90 phase shift, which occurs when
bias B5 is not optimized.

This impairment, caused by an incorrect bias

in the I-branch of the I/Q modulator (bias B1),
results in an overshoot in the I direction and
an undershoot in the Q direction.

I/Q Data Skew

Deterministic Data-Dependent Jitter

Random Data Clock Jitter

The opening in the center of the constellation is caused by

a constant time delay between the I and Q RF drive signals
(RF3 and RF4).

The I and Q RF drive signals (RF3 and RF4) may contain

deterministic jitter originating from driver circuits or
SERDES that leads to a delay in the transitions.

An equal delay in the I and Q phases due to clock jitter

(RF3 and RF4 drive signals) leads to an impairment that is
only visible in the eye diagram.

I phase

D2

B1
/2

MZ2

Rise time

Poor Signal-To-Noise Ratio Transmitter

MZ1
CW laser

Jitter
j

Ideal QPSK Constellation

RF4
RF5
RF2
RF1

T = 1/P

Common QPSK Impairments

B2

B5

Q phase

MZ3

Eye width

B3
MZ4
B4

X-axis = time
Y-axis = power

/2

Constellation diagram

Eye diagram

B6

Typical implementation recommended by the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF).

Modulation Schemes
Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying
(QPSK)

Amplitude

>> Phase modulation

>> Quadrature phase shifts are separated by 90
(e.g., 45, 135, 225, 315)
>> Two bits encoding

I
t
01

Dual Polarization Quadrature

Phase-Shift Keying (DP-QPSK)

11

01

Amplitude

X-polarization

>> Also called PM-QPSK

>> Phase modulation on two orthogonal polarizations

EXFO Headquarters

>> Quadrature phase shifts are separated by 90

(e.g., 45, 135, 225, 315)

400 Godin Avenue

Quebec City (Quebec)
G1M 2K2 CANADA

01

11

01

>> Four bits encoding

Amplitude

T: +1 418 683-0211
F: +1 418 683-2170

Y-polarization

01

EXFO India

11

01

308, IRIS Tech Park, Sector-48

Sohna Road, Gurgaon-122018
Haryana, INDIA
Tel: + 91 124 4868370
Fax: +91 124 4868378
sales.india@exfo.com

2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada

EXFOs PSO-200
Modulation Analyzer

Examples of Constellation and Eye Diagrams

13/11

20110794v2

SAP1062575

In the diagrams below, the X refers to the X polarization, while the Y refers to the Y polarization.

Constellation and time-resolved EVM diagrams

of a 10 GBd 16-QAM signal

Time-resolved EVM of a 28 GBd

QPSK signal with IQ-skew up to 8ps

Examples of DP-QPSK
constellations

Examples of DP-QPSK eye diagrams

Other examples of
DP-16QAM constellations

Other examples of
DP-16QAM eye diagrams

> S
 upports data rates of 40 Gbit/s, 100 Gbit/s,
400 Gbit/s, 1 Tbit/s and beyond

 or NRZ, RZ, DPSK, DQPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM

> F
 ingle- or dual-polarization transmission
> S
 istortion-free signal recovery
> D

100 GigE Packet Transmission

Packetization
MAC

Simplified 802.3 stack

Packetization
Symbols > Lanes
MAC
PCS

Media Access Control (MAC)

IEEE 802.3ba Highlights

IEEE 802.3
S
Preamble O
F
7
1

Destination
Address

Source
Address

Length

FCS

46-1500

802.2
Header

PCS Lane Skew

>> Skew is the difference in time it takes
the signals traveling down one lane
compared to the others
>> Each element along the data path will
contribute to the overall skew (i.e., CFP,
fiber, etc.)

Ethernet Interface

DATA

100G Ethernet

103.125 Gbit/s

40G Ethernet

41.25 Gbit/s

Maximum
Skew (ns)

Maximum
Skew for
40GBASE-R
PCS Lane (UI)

Maximum
Skew for
100GBASE-R
PCS Lane (UI)

29

299

150

SP2

43

443

222

SP3

54

557

278

SP4

134

1382

691

SP5

145

1495

748

SP6

160

1649

824

1856

928

180

40 km over SMF

100GBASE-ER4

10 km over SMF

100GBASE-LR4

40GBASE-LR4

100 m over OM3 MMF

100GBASE-SR10

40GBASE-SR4

10 m over copper cable

100GBASE-CR10

40GBASE-CR4

1 m over backplane

SP1

At PCS
receive

Line Rate

FCS

46-1500

Skew
Points

>> Provide appropriate support for OTN

40G Ethernet

The maximum skew and skew variation at physically instantiated interfaces

is specified at skew points SP1, SP2, and SP3 for the transmit direction
and SP4, SP5 and SP6 for the receive direction.

Legend
CAUI
CGMII
FEC
MAC
MDI
PCS
PMA
PMD
XLAUI
XLGMII
n

100 Gbit/s Attachment Unit Interface

100 Gbit/s Media Independent Interface
Forward Error Correction
Media Access Control
Medium Dependent Interface
Physical Coding Sublayer
Physical Medium Attachment
Physical Medium Dependent
40 Gbit/s Attachment Unit Interface
40 Gbit/s Media Independent Interface
4 or 10

>> Mux 10:4 (CAUI lanes

into PMD lanes)

Physical Medium Dependent (PMD)

CGMII

In the receive direction, the skew

points are defined in the following
locations:

>> SP1 on the XLAUI/CAUI

interface, at the input of the PMA
closest to the PMD;

>> SP4 at the MDI, at the input of

the PMD;

>> SP2 on the PMD service

interface, at the input of the
PMD;
>> SP3 at the output of the PMD,
at the MDI.

Note 1: Optional or omitted depending on PHY type.

100GBASE-R PCS
MAC and
higher
layers

PMA (20:10)

FEC1

PMA (20:10)

SP6
PMA (4:4)

FEC1

PMA (4:4)

XLAUI

XLGMII

OTU
OH

GMP
ODU4
104.794G

OCh Payload Unit (OPU) Payload

ODU
OH

OCh Data Unit (ODU) Payload

OCh Transport Unit (OTU) Payload

OTLk.n

OTLk.n

40.117G

OPU4

OPU4 (L)

OPU4

OPU4 (H)

or OTU4

0Ch

111.809G

OH

ODU3
40.319G

104.355G
1x
OTU4

OH

40.15052G

Bit Rate

OTL3.4

10.7 Gbit/s

OTL4.4

27.95 Gbit/s

OTL4.10

11.18 Gbit/s

F
2

512 block payload

P F F
1 2

512 block payload

P = Odd parity over the

two block flag bits

512 block payload

Interface

Attributes

Interface

Attributes

CFP

100GBASE-ER4
4 x 25G WDM, 1305 nm, NRZ
G.694.1, 800GHz spacing (~4.5nm)
Data rate: 25.78125 Gbit/s per lane

Optical

Reach

>> Dimensions: 82 x 154 x 14 mm

10 km
over SMF

CXP
>> 100 GE, 10 x 10G,
parallel optics/electrical

100 m over
OM3 MMF1

>> 40 GE, 4 x 10G,

parallel optics/electrical
>> Dimensions: 18.4 x 72 x 8.5 mm

Electrical

>> Dimensions: 20 x 54 x 11 mm

QSFP

Client

x4

OPU2

OPU2 (L)

10 m over
copper
cable
1 m over
backplane

CFP

QSFP

QSFP

OPU1 (L)

OPU1

OPU1 (H)

OPU0

x2

ODTUG1

40GBASE-LR4
4 x 10G, CWDM, G.694.2, NRZ
1305 nm, 20 nm spacing
Data rate: 10.3125 Gbit/s per lane

CFP

40GBASE-SR4
4 x 10G, NRZ
Parallel optics, 850 nm
Data rate: 10.3125 Gbit/s per lane

CXP

40GBASE-CR4
4 x 10G electrical, NRZ
Data rate: 10.3125 Gbit/s per lane

CXP

40GBASE-KR4
4 x 10G electrical, NRZ
Data rate: 10.3125 Gbit/s per lane

OTU
Frame

or OTU2

0Ch

0Ch

2.666G

ODUk (L) = Low-Order ODU

15
16

ODUk (H) = High-Order ODU

31
32
63

100GBASE-SR10
10 x 10G, NRZ,
Parallel optics, 850 nm
Data rate: 10.3125 Gbit/s per lane

Optical Specifications: WDM Channel Definition

Parameter

Symbol

Min

Typ

Max

Unit

Conditions

Wavelength

L1

1520

1523

1526

nm

Channel 1

Lane

Center
Frequency

Center
Wavelength

Wavelength
Range

L0

231.4 THz

1295.56 nm

1294.53 to 1296.59 nm

L2

1528

1531

1534

nm

Channel 2

L1

230.6 THz

1300.05 nm

1299.02 to 1301.09 nm

L3

1536

1539

1542

nm

Channel 3

L2

229.8 THz

1304.58 nm

1303.54 to 1305.63 nm

L3

229 THz

1309.14 nm

1308.09 to 1310.19 nm

40 GigE/OTU3
Lane

Center
Wavelength

Wavelength
Range

100GBASE-CR10
10 x 10G electrical, NRZ
Data rate: 10.3125 Gbit/s per lane

L0

1271 nm

1264.5 to 1277.5 nm

L1

1291 nm

1284.5 to 1297.5 nm

L2

1311 nm

1304.5 to 1317.5 nm

L3

1331 nm

1324.5 to 1337.5 nm

6 7 8

L4

1544

1547

GCCO

10

1550

nm

2 3 4
BEI/BIAE

DAPI
OperatorSpecific

5 6

ODU OH

41 42
M4

7 8
RES

3824-3825

4080

OPU Payload
(Client Signal)

TCMi 1

15

1552

1555

1558

nm

Channel 5

L6

1560

1563

1566

nm

Channel 6

L7

1568

1571

1574

nm

Channel 7

L8

1576

1579

1582

nm

Channel 8

L9

1584

1587

1590

nm

Channel 9

L10

1592

1595

1598

nm

Channel 10

49 50
M5

57 58

1
2
3
4

PSI

M6

2 3 4
BEI

5 6

Forward

7 8
STAT
Byte 3

2 3 4 5 6 7 8
BEI/BIAE
STAT

Backward

PCS Lane 2

PCS Lane n-1

16383 blocks between alignment markers

Corresponding
Service

OTU3

43.018 Gbit/s

OC-768/STM-256
40 GigE

OTU3e1

44.57 Gbit/s

4 x ODU2e
(uses 2.5 Gig TS;
total of 16)

OTU3e2

44.58 Gbit/s

4 x ODU2e
(uses 1.25 Gig
(ODU0) TS;
total of 32)

GbE
GbE

ODU0

ODU1

ODU0

100 GigE

Newly defined OTN container in G.709 of 1.25 Gig

Size

Virtual container with no physical instance

9-10

128 129

PCS Lane 1

PT

Operator
Identifier

FIF

Alignment markers are inserted every 16383 66b blocks

on each PCS lanes or 210 sec

OTNODU0

3
1

PCS Lane 0

>> Skew tolerance is 180 nsec maximum

for both the 40G and 100G

Line Rate

111.81 Gbit/s

Alignment marker

>> Bandwidth for the alignment markers is

created by periodically deleting IPG

BIP7

255

>> Markers are not scrambled in order to

allow the receiver to search and find
the markers

65

OTU FEC
(4 x 256 bytes)

0
1

16

>> A BIP field is used for calculation of

the BER per PCS lane

OTN
Interface

OTU4

PM 1

RES

137-138

Operator
Identifier
FIF = Fault Identification Field

FIF

OperatorSpecific

OperatorSpecific

127

255

Client

Perfectly fits GigE, OC-3/STM-1 and OC-12/STM-4 services

Benefits

Removes dependency on SONET/SDH for carrying GigE services

Provides OTN OAM capabilities

FTFL

Dispersion Approaches
Using a single-ended instrumenta CD and PMD test tool that
can characterize a section between two sites without having
instruments at both endsmeans that many sections can be
characterized in a few minutes instead of a few hours from a
single location. As a result, an entire network can be characterized
in 66% less time than any other traditional test methods. This
greatly reduces truck rolls and OPEX, while increasing speed
to deliver new services and reducing time-to-cash.

Short LinksLong Traveling Distances

Domain B
Green path example

Channel 4

L5

* This approach is still not ratified by IEEE 802.3ba.

14-15-16-17

OTU OH

TCM
RES
TCM6
TCM5
TCM4
FTFL
ACT
TCM3
TCM2
TCM1
PM
EXP
APS/PCC
RES
GCC1 GCC2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

SAPI

33 34

BIP3

9 10 11 12 13 14
SM

2:1

>> The lane number is coded in the M1

byte field

Dispersion

10x10 MSA*
Optical Wavelengths

100GBASE-LR4
4 x 25G WDM, 1305 nm, NRZ
G.694.1, 800GHz spacing, (~4.5nm)
Data rate: 25.78125 Gbit/s per lane

4 5

FAS OH

1
2
3
4

PM and TCMi (i= 1 to 6)

1
2
TTI
BIP-8
0

Multiplexing

OPU0 (L)

9
BIP-8

10.709G
2
3
4

or OTU1

Mapping

FAS

x4

OPU1

M2

Byte 10

43.018G

ODTUG2

Client

M1

25 26

SMF Fiber

2:1

Frame Rates

OperatorSpecific

OPU2 (H)
10.037G

100 GigE/OTU4

>> 100 GE, 10 x 10G, WDM

WDM

OPU3 (H)

0Ch

ODTUG3

CFP MSA Optical

Wavelengths

100G Ethernet

>> 40 GE, 4 x 10G,

OPU3

or OTU3

1.244G

40G Ethernet

40 km
over SMF

Client

1024B / 1027B block

100G/40G Interfaces and Reach

31
32

8
TTI

DAPI

1 2

2.499G

512 block payload

Interface
WDM

x8

2nd 513B block

CFP optical transceiver

>> 100 GE, 4 x 25G,

x16

1x
OTU3

100G/40G Interfaces
Pluggable Modules

x32

1024B/1027B block construction

F
1

TTI

63

OPU3 (L)

17 18

(optical mux)

2:1

M4-M6 are bit-wise inversion of M0-M2

BIP7 is the bit-wise inversion of BIP3

SAPI

15
16

x4

OPU3

40GBASE-R

M0

MDI

40.319G

GMP

1st 513B block

OTL Type

41.25G

OPU2

FEC

Optical Channel Transport Layer (OTL)

OTLk.n

40GE

103.125G

100GE

Client
OPU
OH

40 GigE with 64B/66B

Transcoding
Using 1024B/1027B

Client

10

9 10

LAN
WDM

10:4

2:1

#39 #19 M19 PCS Lane #19

OTN Frame Structure

ODTUG4

x10

Medium

0 1 2

SP3

PMD
Service
Interface

Client

x40

Bit Position

PMD
SP2

XLAUI

2:1

2:1

4. T
 he 4 optical lanes
are transmitted over
singlemode fiber

... #22 #2 M2 PCS Lane #2

#41 #21 #1 M1 PCS Lane #1
...
...
...
... #22 #2 M2 PCS Lane #2
#39 #19 M19 PCS Lane #19
...
...
...

Round robin
distribution

3. T
 he PMD converts each
PMD lane into optical NRZ
and multiplexes them

>> The marker has the form of a specially defined 66b block (to maintain 1s density)
and its format is as follows:

SP4

PMA (4:4)
SP1

>> SP6 on the XLAUI/CAUI

interface, at the output of the
PMA closest to the PCS.

#0

2:1

PCS lane marker is the mechanism used to reorder and realign the PCS lanes

100GBASE-R

SP3

SP5

PMA (4:4)

100/40 GigE Mapping

into ODU Multiplexing

100/40 GigE Mapping

into OTU4/OTU3

Medium

PMD
SP2

104.794G

OTU4/OTU3 Over Parallel Optics

SP4

PMA (10:n)

#0

2:1

2. T
 he PMA next to the PMD
multiplexes 10 CAUI lanes
into 4 PMD lanes

PCS Lane Markers

Reconciliation
40GBASE-R PCS

x80

#1

MDI
SP5

PMA (20:10)

#1

Round robin
>> Add PCS lane markers periodically to ensure reordering and
realignment
distribution

PMD
Service
Interface

CAUI

SP1

>> SP5 on the PMD service

interface, at the output of the
PMD;

OTU4/OTU3 (ITU-T G.709)

... #41 #40 #39 ... #22 #21 #20 #19 ... #2

PMD

SP6
In the transmit direction, the skew
points are defined in the following
locations:

... #41 #40 #39 ... #22 #21 #20 #19 ... #2

PMD

CFP

>> Transmit 4 PMD lanes

on SMF using LAN WDM

CAUI

PMA
10:4

M0 PCS Lane #0

#41 #21 #1 M1 PCS Lane #1

#40 #20 #0 M0 PCS Lane #0

PMA
10:4
CFP

#0

PMD Lanes

2:1

1. T
 he PMA next to the PCS
multiplexes 20 PCS lanes
into 10 CAUI lanes

Idle
Symbol

FCS

PMA
20:10

100G Attachment Unit Interface (CAUI)

40GBASE-KR4

Payload (46 - 1500 bytes)

#40 #20

>> Mux 20:10 (PCS lanes

into CAUI lanes)

Physical Medium Attachment (PMA)

Payload (46 - 1500 bytes)

FCS
AA 55 2D 9B 9B 3C 7A F1

CAUI/Physical
Lanes
2:1

Idle
Symbol

Mapping

DATA

100G Ethernet

Physical Medium Attachment (PMA)

EtherType

Mapping

Length

802.2
Header

Physical Coding Sublayer (PCS)

>> Provide physical-layer specifications which support:

>> Provide a BER < 10-12 at the MAC layer

>> Convert packets into 20 parallel

streams of 64b/66b symbols

Source
MAC Address

OPU OH

Source
Address

100G Media Independent Interface (CGMII)

Destination
MAC Address

AA 55 2D 9B 9B 3C 7A F1

>> Converted to 64b/66b symbols, and send to PCS lanes

MFAS

Preamble

Destination
Address

Symbols > Lanes

PCS PMA
20:10

Reconciliation Sublayer

BDI

>> Support a MAC data rate of 40 Gbit/s and 100 Gbit/s

Ethernet

Preamble

80 03 01 7C 9F 3E 80 03 01 20 FB 1D 08 00 45 58
PreDestination
Source
amble
EtherType
Address
MAC
80 03 01 7CMAC
9F 3E
80 03 01 20
FB Address
1D 08 00 45 58

BDI

Ethernet Frame Format and Rates

PCS/Logical
Lanes

>> Packetize Data

BDI
IAE

100G/40G Ethernet (IEEE 802.3ba)

Network
section

CD
Value at
1550 nm
(ps/nm)

PMD
(ps)

53

890

6.49

Length
(km)

2
3
5

Same transmitting station, two different route examples.

Domain A

Inter-Domain

B
Netackbo
wo ne
rk

37

632

0.39

29

484

8.93

45

765

5.21

42

726

0.88

Total

206

3497

12.24

Transport
Equipment

Transport
Equipment

CO

With data rates reaching 40 Gbit/s and beyond, fiber

characterization is critical. When adding 40Gbit/s wavelengths to
a DWDM route or ring, at that time, it will be nearly impossible to
temporarily remove dozens of active wavelengths from service to
characterize the optical fiber carrying them. Its important to fully
characterize optical fiber links while its possible: here ,in addition
to being highly accurate, these future proof devices can be
placed at several different positions, so a multitude of test
points can be acquired, faster with high accuracy which together
reduces test costs or the even greater cost of adding more fiber.

CO
CO

80 km

B
Netackbo
wo ne
rk

1 km

2 km
80 km
Good section (acceptable)
Bad section (needs to be replaced)

CO

Distributed PMD analysis reduces CAPEX by revealing the worst

segments on a high-PMD route. Replacing a few kilometers of
fiber, instead of an entire route, puts it back in service for higher
bit-rate services and substantially reduces CAPEX.