Optical versus electrical dispersion compensation: role of timing jitter

• Published in: Journal of lightwave technology Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 387 - 395
• Main Authors: Pinto, A.N., da Rocha, J.R.F., Qiang Lin, Agrawal, G.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-01-2006; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Channels; Chromatic dispersion; Circuit properties; Communication channels; Communication systems; Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction; Dispersions; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Equalization; Exact sciences and technology; Frequency domain analysis; Information, signal and communications theory; Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Links; Mathematical analysis; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Optical fiber dispersion; Optical filters; Optical noise; Optical receivers; Optical transmitters; Optimization; Optoelectronic devices; Photodetectors; Receivers; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Signal and communications theory; Signal, noise; Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Timing jitter; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments); Timing jitter; Chromatic dispersion; Communication systems; Transmission channel; Frequency domain method; Receiver; Linear channel; Equalization; Photodetector; Optical fiber dispersion; Direct detection; Telecommunication system; Optoelectronic device; Optical dispersion compensation; Optical noise; Intensity modulation; Light dispersion
• ISSN: 0733-8724; 1558-2213
• DOI: 10.1109/JLT.2005.860153

This paper calculates timing jitter in intensity-modulated/direct detection lightwave systems in which chromatic dispersion is compensated in the optical domain and in systems where the effects of chromatic dispersion are mitigated by means of electrical equalization at the receiver. The authors focus on a linear communication channel and derive a new expression for the timing jitter after the photodetector using frequency-domain analysis. It shows that timing jitter depends cubically on link length when dispersion is compensated in the electrical domain. In contrast, when dispersion is fully compensated optically, timing jitter depends only linearly on the link length. A new expression for the optimum timing jitter in the presence of residual dispersion is also presented.