Chapter 3

COHERENT OPTICAL OFDM

3.1 INTRODUCTION
Coherent Optical OFDM (CO-OFDM) is considered a enabling technology of the
next generation optical communication system. As a coherent system, the CO-
OFDM system maintains both signal amplitude and phase, thus increasing
bandwidth utilization. The coherent optical communication system makes full
compensation of chromatic dispersion, after optical/electrical conversion,
possible. Optical frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is an attractive
modulation scheme that recently received a lot of attention in the fiber optic
community. The CO - OFDM modulation scheme also leads to a high spectral
efficiency because of its partially overlapping subcarriers .Moreover, the cyclic
prefix code of the COOFDM system makes the system more resistant to inter-
symbol interference caused by Chromatic Dispersion and Polarization Mode
Dispersion .
The superior performance of CO-OFDM in terms of dispersion tolerance and
OSNR requirements makes it suitable for long haul networks. Coherent reception
requires that the polarization of the local oscillator should be matched with that
of the received original signal .Otherwise severe performance degradation results.
The state of polarization of light travelling through the conventional fiber varies
randomly. Hence polarization tracking device is necessary at the receiver side,
which is impractical in field application. Another way is to split the received
light into two orthogonal polarizations and process the received signals in
separate branches of the receiver. The performance of such a diversity receiver
would be independent of the state of polarization of the received signal. When
the modulation technique of OFDM combines with coherent detection, it brought
many benefits, the benefits of powerful techniques are multifold High spectral
efficiency, Robust to chromatic dispersion and polarization-mode dispersion
High receiver sensitivity, Dispersion Compensation Modules (DCM)-free

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operation , Less DSP complexity , Less oversampling factor , More flexibility in

spectral shaping and matched filtering [ Puneet mittal et al].
3.2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Veneetha in [Joseph et al] shows the simulations at 50 Gbps data rate and found
that the use of CO-OFDM allows the use of single standard mode fiber (SSMF)
in long haul networks without any dispersion compensation technique. The
dispersion tolerance of the OOFDM system is superior compared to conventional
modulation techniques. The use of polarization diversity schemes further improve
the performance of CO-OFDM. The receive diversity architecture exhibits best
BER performance compared to other transmit diversity schemes.

Sunaina N in [Sunaina N. et al] gives the Provision of broadband services for

downloading high definition data has become a difficult requirement for
dataproviders. The easy way to provide multipath, which are used in most
broadband systems between transmitters and receivers, is to use OFDM. From the
observations of this paper it is concluded that for long distance communication
Coherent detection OFDM method has more prominent performance than direct
detection method. In coherent detection method, as the modulating signal
mapping rate increases, it gives better performance in the constellation diagram.

Khaled in [Khaled et al] shows a coherent system integrated with WDM. The use
of WDM helps to increase the capacity of the system and increases data rate of
the system. The results shows that when fiber length is increased BER of the
system increases and larger OSNR is required to keep the BER less. Further
different modulation scope is provided for enhancement of the system.

Mohammad Jallal in [Dr.Sinan M. et al] simulated a CO-OFDM system with

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) to reach higher data rates
over 4500 km SSMF. Results shows good performance of BER, OSNR, and clear
constellation diagrams.

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3.3 SYSTEM DESIGN

Figure 3.1 Conceptual Diagram of CO-OFDM System [William et al]

Figure 3.1 shows the conceptual diagram of generic CO-OFDM

system that includes five blocks. In the RF OFDM transmitter, the
input digital data are first converted from serial to parallel into a
block of bits consisting of information symbols, each of which may
comprise of multiple bits for m-ary coding. This information
symbol is mapped into two dimensional complex signal. The time
domain OFDM signal is obtained through IFFT and a guard interval
is inserted to avoid channel dispersion. Signal is filtered through a
low pass filter to remove the alias signal. And RF to Optical up
converter transforms the baseband signal into optical domain using
an RF IQ modulation comprising a pair of Mach-Zehnder
Modulators (MZMs) with a 90 degree phase offset. Signal is up
converted into optical domain. Signals are then forwarded on
optical fiber link for further transmission towards receiver. The
optical signal is then fed into the Optical down-Converter, where
the optical OFDM signal is converted into an RF-OFDM signal.

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Different kinds of modulations can be used on transmitter and

receiver side for better results..

3.4 SIMULATIVE DESIGN

CO-OFDM system is designed and investigated with QAM for long haul
transmission. The System of CO-OFDM is fully designed and implemented using
OptiSystem v.13 and v.14.
OptiSystem is a comprehensive software design tool that enables users to plan,
test, and simulate various optical links in the transmission layer of modern optical
networks, and also it can be used by telecommunications companies all over the
world for planning and implementing a fully designed optical network, which is a
low cost and time saving approach, and the researchers can use it to work in
highly effective and efficient manner.

Figure 3.2 CO-OFDM Transmitter

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Coherent Optical OFDM

In the system simulated the Figure 3.2 represents RF OFDM

transmitter block, The transmitter of CO-OFDM is built with a
Pseudo Random Binary Sequence (PRBS), to generate a bit
sequence to approximate the random data characteristics. The 4-
QAM encoder generates the signal and signal is connected to the
OFDM modulator with a 512 subcarrier and 1024 FFT points.
Signal is filtered using low pass filters to remove alias signal. The
in-phase (I) and Quadrature components(Q) of the resulting signal
from the OFDM modulator is transmitted to the direct I/Q optical
modulator. The direct I/Q modulator consists of two Mach-Zehnder
modulators (MZM) and will modulate the electrical signal from the
OFDM modulator to the optical carrier with a laser source of 193.05
THz. The power of the laser source is varied .

Figure 3.3 Optical Fiber link

Figure 3.3 represents an optical fiber link, The resulting signal

from the two MZMs is then transmitted through the single mode
dispersion compensation fiber in the system. The DCF is used to
compensate for the fiber dispersion in system. The attenuation is
0.2 dB/km and the DCF attenuation is 0.4 dB/km. The SMF
dispersion is 16 ps/nm/km for 100 km. The SMF will produce a
dispersion of 16 × 100 = 1600 ps/nm. Therefore, to compensate the
dispersion of the 100 km SMF, a 20 km long DCF is required with
dispersion of -80 ps/nm/km. This will produce a dispersion of

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−1600 ps/nm, which will be negative to cancel the positive

dispersion of the SMF. An Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA)
is used with to amplify the signal and to compensate for the loss.

Figure 3.4 Coherent Optical OFDM Receiver

At the receiver side, the incoming optical signal is detected by two identical pairs
of balanced coherent detectors with a local oscillator (LO) to perform the I/Q
optical to electrical conversion and to cancel the noise. Each detector consists of
two couplers and two PIN photo detectors. Each PIN photo detector has a dark
current of 10 nA, a responsivity of 1 A/W, thermal noise of 100e-24 W/Hz, and a
center frequency of 193.05 THz. After detecting the signal by the balanced
detectors, the signal is sent to the OFDM demodulator. The OFDM demodulator
should have the similar parameters to that of OFDM modulator The guard
interval is then removed. Finally, the resulting signal is fed into a 4-QAM
decoder to create a binary signal and is checked through electrical constellation
Visualizer.

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3.4.1 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

In order to check the performance of CO-OFDM systems, system is simulated
using Optisystem tool with v.14.

Table 3.1 Global Parameters

Parameters Values

Sequence length 16384

Sample per bit 8

No. of symbols 131072

Table 3.2 SMF Parameters

Parameters Values

Dispersion 16 ps/nm/km

Dispersion Slope 0.08 ps/nm^2/km

Effective Area 80 um^2

PMD Coefficient 0.2 ps/km

Attenuation 0.2 dB/Km

Table 3.2 DCF Parameters

Parameters Values

Dispersion -80 ps/nm/km

Dispersion slope -0.45 ps/nm^2/km

Effective Area 30 um^2

PMD coefficient 0.2 ps/km

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Coherent Optical OFDM

Attenuation 0.4 dB/km

3.4.1.1 CO-OFDM SYSTEM WITH POWER VARIATIONS

System given in figure 3.1 is simulated with dense wavelength division
multiplexing with the starting frequency of CW laser with 193.05 THz. System is
simulated with 8 users wavelength division multiplexing.

Figure 3.5 Constellation diagram of CO-OFDM with power -6 dBm

Figure 3.5 shows the result of the system with power of -6 dBm. It is found that
at lower power level signal gets distorted and noise level is more.

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Coherent Optical OFDM

Figure 3.6 Constellation diagram of system with power of -4dbm

Figure 3.6 represents an improvement in the recovered signal, distortion

decreased as power level is increased.

Figure 3.7 Constellation diagram of System with power of -2 dBm

In figure 3.7 gives improved results with a power of -2 dBm. Signal gets better
with the increase in power level of the system.

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Coherent Optical OFDM

Figure 3.8 Constellation diagram of the System with power of 0dbm

Figure 3.8 gives the best results with decreased distortion and decreased noise
level.
Results shown above shows that as the power level of the system increases
system performance gets improved and noise reduces with increase in power.

3.4.1.2 RELATION OF POWER AND Q-FACTOR

Figure 3.9 Relation between Power and Q-factor

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Coherent Optical OFDM

In figure 3.9 relation of power with Q-factor is shown. Graph represents the
variation of power, it shows as power goes on increasing, Q-factor of the system
keeps on increasing. So to have a high Q-factor, power of the system should be
more.
3.4.1.3 PERFORMANCE OF FILTERS IN CO-OFDM SYSTEMS

Digital filters combined with coherent detection is a powerful combination,

enabling uncompensated transmission of 80Gbit/s data over high PMD fiber [Seb
J. Savory]. Different filters like Gaussian filter, Butterworth filter, Bessel filter
are used here to find the effect on coherent OFDM.

Figure 3.10 Spectrum of transmitted signal

Figure 3.10 shows the spectrum of transmitted signal that is going to be
filtered on receiver side.
Further results based on filters are given. Filters are basically used in
communication for wavelength selection, which can select desired wavelength to
pass and reject the others. It is widely used in DWDM systems for wavelength
selection, optical performance monitoring, optical noise filtering, and optical
amplifier noise suppression etc. Optical multiplexers makes different coupling
into an optical fiber and different wavelength carries different information. At the

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receiving end if the signal need to be separated with desired wavelength from
optical fiber than it is necessary to use optical filter.

Figure 3.11 Constellation of Bessel filter

Figure 3.11 shows the constellation of Bessel filter, it is an analog linear filter
with a maximally flat group and phase delay that preserves the wave shape of the
signal. Results shows that received signal is corrupted with noise and signal is
scattered.

Figure 3.12 Received Constellation of Butterworth filter

The Butterworth filter is the best compromise between attenuation and phase
response . It has no ripple in the pass band or the stop band, and because of which
it is sometimes called a maximally flat filter. The Butterworth filter achieves its

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flatness at the expense of a relatively wide transition region from pass band to
stop band, with average transient characteristics.
Figure 3.12 represents the constellation diagram of Butterworth filter which
shows that it is some what better performing than Bessel filter but it needs phase
shift.

Figure 3.13 Constellation of Gaussian filter

Figure 3.13 represents constellation of Gaussian filter which is having improved

signal than Bessel and Butterworth filter. Gaussian filter is the filter with impulse
response of Gaussian function. It is ideally considered as a time domain filter.

Figure 3.14 Constellation of Rectangular Filter

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Figure 3.14 represents best results when rectangular filter is used. It only requires
some phase shift.
Table 3.1 Comparison of all filters performance in tabular form.
Filters In phase amplitude Quadrature amplitude
Bessel 0.341 0.345

Butterworth 0.305 0.309

Gaussian 0.423 0.426

Rectangular 1.262 1.361

Figure 3.15 Performance comparison of all filters

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