EOFT - influence of dispersion and nonlinear effects on PAM

transmission in single mode optical fiber

[ Labs 1 & 2 ]

CLARA VÉLEZ SÁNCHEZ

03 – 06 - 2022

1 Excercises
1.1 Task 0 - the beginning
Find SMF-28 datasheet and write down these parameters:
• MFD (mode field diamater)
• Dispersion
• Dispersion slope
• Attenuation

All the parameters must be defined for 1550 nm. Set simulation parameters with respect to the values
you found. Include link to datasheet in lab report.

Defining parameters for 1550nm we have MFD: 20,4 ± 0,5 um ; dispersion: ≤ 18,0 ps/(nm*km) ;
dispersion slope: ≤ 0,089 ps/(nm2 *km) ; and attenuation: 0,19-0,20 dB/km

Link to datasheet: http://www.tlc.unipr.it/cucinotta/cfa/datasheet_SMF28e.pdf

1.2 Task 1a - influence of transmission speed

In this task you will see how transmission speed affects signal quality. Before you begin, please set those
parameters in m-file:

• M=2 (PAM-2)
• N=6000

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 • FWHM=80 [pm]
• Wavelength=1550 [nm]
• Length = 10 [km]
• TransmitterCurrent=TransmitterCurrent=10e-3

Change Baudrate of the signal from 1e9 to 20e9 samples per second. You can do this for three values:
1e9, 10e9, 20e9. In report, write how increasing the baudrate affects BER. Explain why increasing
baudrate is increasing errors in the transmission.

Baud rate = 1e9, BER = 0

Baud rate = 10e9, BER = 3,744e-05

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 Baud rate = 20e9, BER = 5,401e-03

The bit error rate (BER), or perhaps more appropriately the bit error ratio, is the number of
bits received in error divided by the total number of bits transferred. We can estimate the BER by
calculating the probability that a bit will be incorrectly received due to noise.

On the other hand, baud rate the bit rate (bits/s) divided by the number of bits per baud. So, it is
the rate at which information is transferred in a communication channel. The allowable baud rate
error is calculated by dividing this by the number of bits until the stop bit.

If the baud rate is higher, the more sensitive the cable becomes to the quality of
installation, due to how much of the wire is untwisted around each device.

The receiver must distinguish many symbols from each other, and transmission channel is limited
to a specified bandwidth. This explain our results, where we can see as if we increase the symbol rate, the
bit error rate will increases too.
Also, if we add an additional bit to a symbol, the constellation doubles its size.

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1.3 Task 1b - influence of PAM levels
In this task you will see how number of modulation levels in PAM modulation affects signal quality.
Before you begin, please set those parameters in m-file:

• N=6000
• FWHM=20 [pm]
• Baudrate=10e9
• Wavelength=1550 [nm]

• Length = 10 [km]
• TransmitterCurrent=TransmitterCurrent=10e-3

At the beginning, set M to 2, then to 4 and at the end to 8. In each case observe how increasing levels
in PAM is changing BER and eyediagram. Explain why.

M = 2, BER = 2,748e-36

M = 4, BER = 2,033e-09

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 M = 8, BER = 4,582e-04

As the data rate increases using PAM, the rise time of the data transition from logic zero level
to one becomes faster. This faster rise time creates larger reflections at impedance discontinuities
and degrades the signal quality at the end of the channel.

There is inverse relation between SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) and BER (Bit Error Rate). When
BER is increases the SNR decrees and When BER deceases the SNR increases. Also we know that
BER and SNR for PAM have a relation with the exponential CIR as in this example:

( source: https://www.researchgate.net/ )

In our case we can deduce that for constant power, BER increases as M increases: For PAM-4
we can see in the eye diagram three openings of eye for the four levels allowing us to duplicate
the quantity of transmitted bits without increasing the bandwidth. But the problem now is that
SNR is being affected in a relation of 1/3 respect to PAM-2. With PAM-8 we duplicate the bits of
PAM-4 without affecting bandwidth. Also, the opening of the eye is reduced to 1/7 respect of
PAM-2.

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 1.4 Task 2a - influence of dispersion
In this task you will see how dispersion of the fiber affects signal quality. Before you begin, please set
those parameters in m-file:

• M=2 (PAM-2)
• N=6000
• FWHM=20 [pm]

• Baudrate=10e9
• Wavelength=1550 [nm]
• Length = 10 [km]
• TransmitterCurrent=TransmitterCurrent=10e-3

Change dispersion from 5 to 50 (5, 15, 30, 40, 50) and for each case observe eye diagram. In the report
write why high dispersion is decreasing quality of the signal. How could you compensate dispersion
in the transmission system? (give short answer). At the end of the task, please draw dependency
BER=f(Dispersion). Use code in commented section of the Main.m (lines: 41-46).

Dispersion = 5

Dispersion = 15

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Dispersion = 30

Dispersion = 40

Dispersion = 50

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Dispersion is the propagation of the signal over time. It shortens the distance that signal travels inside
optical fibers and blear the signal. It is produced because the light we inject in an extreme of the optical
fiber arrive at the other side in different moments, receiving a distorted signal and therefore with a worse
quality.
The following two types of scattering can affect an optical data link:
 Chromatic scattering: Propagation of the signal over time as a result of different speeds of light
rays.
 Modal dispersion: Propagation of the signal over time as a result of different modes of propagation
in the fiber.
The key devices used to compensate for chromatic dispersion are diffraction networks over chirp
optical fiber. In addition, because these velocities cause pulses to extend or compress as they travel
through the fiber, the refractive index profile can be customized to produce fibers that fit different
applications.
In the case of multimode fiber modal scattering, although light rays also travel in different modes, it
decreases considerably because of the different speeds of light propagation.
In general terms, we could say that e could compensate the dispersion with the Dispersion Compensating
Fiber

1.5 Task 2b - eye diagram

In this task you will calculate BER from eye diagram. Before you begin, please set those parameters in
m-file:

• M=2 (PAM-2)
• N=6000
• FWHM=80 [pm]
• Baudrate=10e9
• Wavelength=1550 [nm]
• Length = 10 [km]
• TransmitterCurrent=TransmitterCurrent=10e-3
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 Calculate BER using Gaussian approximation (use function BerFromQ to calculate BER from Qual-
ity factor). To calculate Q-factor use markers in the figure. Assume that standard deviation is equal to
half width of the symbol level. More information about calulating BER from eyediagram can be found e.g.
here: https://cdn.optiwave.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Q F actorCalculationFromEyeDiagramM A.pdf .
Compare calculated BER to value which is returned by MATLAB software. Why they are not equal?
Include eye diagram in the report.

Q = 0,0322/0,0085 = 3.78

They are not equal because there is always an error range in practical calculations because we are using markers to
get the Q. In this case, the percentage relative error is equal to 37,25%.

1.6 Task 3 - influence of linewidth

In this task you will see, how changing FWHM of the laser will affect signal quality. Before you begin,
please set those parameters in m-file:

• M=4 (PAM-4)
• N=6000
• FWHM=20 [pm]
• Baudrate=10e9
• Wavelength=1550 [nm]
• Length = 10 [km]
• TransmitterCurrent=TransmitterCurrent=10e-3

For those parameters, observe eye diagram. Now, change FWHM to narrower (2 pm) and observe eye
diagram. At the end, set FWHM to 200 pm and observe eye diagram. How linewidth of a laser affects
signal quality. Explain why.

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FWHM = 2

FWHM = 20

FWHM = 200

FWHM is a common form of measurement for pulse waveforms, and

the spectral width of sources used for optical communications. This is
used in signal processing to define bandwidth as the “width of

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frequency range where less than half the signal's power is attenuated.”

The linewidth is inversely proportional to the quality. This can be seen in the openings of the eyes of the eye diagram:
while in the linewidth = 2 we can clearly see the opening of the eyes, in the linewidth = 200 there is no opening,
consequently the quality would be quite low.
If the width of the spectre is higher, we have more dispersion because our signal has more bandwidth.

1.7 Task 4 - influence of nonlinear effects

In this task you will see, how changing power of the laser will affect signal quality. Before you begin,
please set those parameters in m-file:

• M=4 (PAM-4)
• N=6000
• FWHM=20 [pm]
• Baudrate=10e9
• Wavelength=1550 [nm]
• Length = 10 [km]

• TransmitterCurrent=TransmitterCurrent=10e-3

Observe eyediagram. Now, set TransmitterCurrent and TransmitterCurrent to 600e-3. What hap-
pened and why?

Transmitter Current and Transmitter Bias = 10e03

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Transmitter Current and Transmitter Bias =600e03

The power signals are captured by measuring the change in current levels in the voltage supply transmission lines.
The opening of the eye has been slightly closed, so BER will be higher with a higher power laser because the power
has been increased but the bandwidth has not.

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