18 OVERVIEW OF OFTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATIONS TABLE 1-4 Four major classes of simulation-tool icons and some of the functional characteristics that could be included in these classes {eon group/type ‘Characteristics of modole oF function ‘Teamamitter Laser Device may be modeled using ntte equations that include emission intensity, phase noize, laser chirp, and polarization. Alternatively, 3 simplified analytical model might be used. Encoder Describes digital coding schemes, Pulse generator Pseudo-random bit streams and specification of pulse shapes. Modulator Specification of lithium-niobate external modulator parameten. Quannet ‘Monomode fiber Specification of Hiner and nonlinear effects, such as attenuation, ehrotnut dispertion. polarization-mode dispertion, self- and cros-nhase modula four-wave mixing, Raman scatlering. ‘Optical amplifiers EDFAs and semiconductor armpiifiers: unidirectional of bidirectional pumping schemes, reflection levels. Optical ters Optical passband and other charecteristics of filter types such as Fabry: Perot, Mact-Zehinucr, fiber ragg-grating, of arrayed-waveguide. Frequency converters Use of semiconductor optical amplifiers for wavelength conversion at nodal points in a network. Passive devices Optical attenuators, splitters, cambiners, connectors Receiver Photodiode in ot avalanche detectors Preamplifier Charactenstics of EDFA preamplifier. Filters Optical and electrical fliers in the receiver. Samplers Specification of different ways to calculate the biterror rate. ‘Visualizer Instrument Data can be sent to icons representing instruments such as spectrum analyzers, bit-error rate texters, power meters, Graphs of data Visualization of the calculated data using time of frequency. representations, eye dingrams, histograms, ete. ED plots Optimization problerns with several variables ean be represented as thece- dimensional data plots or contour plots particularly critical when the performance of a large number of WDM channels is being evaluated. For example, whereas a single channel can be simulated ina few minutes, simulation of 32 channels with a rigorous computation method can consume hours of central processing unit (CPU) time and 100 channels could require days, unless approximations or semianalytical methods are used. A variety of strategies have been investigated for reducing this computation time and in some cases are incorporated into the simulation software. The popularity of split- step modeling is that it can be used to design fiber and pulse parameters that minimize intersymbol interference and mitigate the appearance of noise factors such as four-wave mixing. In addition, it creates accurate eye diagrams, and tradeoffs between modeled bandwidth and accuracy are well understood. Note that, generally, any cautionary details on how to properly specify the simulation parameters are described in the software user manuals.14 SIMULATION AND MODELING Toots 19 143 The PTDS™ Simulation and Modeling Tool Asan example of commercial software, Virtual Photonics, Inc., has a simulation and modeling tool called the Photonic Transmission Design Suite® (PTDS). The PTDS can be used for designing either a photonic component to be used in communication systems, a complete optical communication link or system. or an optical network. For component design, PTDS has a comprehensive library of detailed physical models of photonic devices and a graphical user interface to combine them easily, Examples of photonic components that can be modeled include optical amplifiers, transmitters, wavelengths converters and routers, opti- cal TDM components, all-optical switches, wavelength multiplexers, and optical cross-connect devices. In addition, PTDS has an electro-optical co-design feature that includes RF, analog, and digital signal processing (DSP) modeling and simulation capabilities. The system-design tool of PTDS enables the user to simu- late « wide range of network architectures: for example, WDM, optical-TDM. and fiber-network-based CATV systems. When simulating the performance of photonic networks, the PTDS optical network simulation layer (ONSL) controls data exchange between PTDS and other user-defined or third-party simulation tools. When checking the perfor- mance of a design, a simulation manager enables intuitive and user-friendly pa- rameter sweeps. For these parameter sweeps, a visualization tool offers interactive displays similar to a digital scope or spectrum analyzer The PTDS offers a vertically integrated design process with layered simula- tion technologies. Thus, it can work independently at the component, transmis- sion-link, and transport-network simulation layers, and can pass the design abstractions and analyses done at a particular layer to adjacent layers. For exam- ple, the user can design a laser with sophisticated equations and then pass the characteristic of the laser as a simplified model to the higher-up transmission-link layer. After having incorporated an optical amplifier model into the link, the link layer can then pass the baseband response of the transmission path to the nework layer, In this way, network architects can optimize the higher layers efficiently without losing the underlying contributions that the lower layers make to the network. In addition, in a collaborative design effort, users working on one layer can transfer their results to colleagues working on adjacent layers with sufficient detail to be meaningful. An abbreviated version of this tool for student use is included on the CD- ROM at the back of this book. The CD-ROM contains the working softwa instructions for its use, on-line documentation, installation instructions, and censing conditions for a full-featured version of the software. This is 2 Windows- based program, so it can run on any standard PC that has the appropriate ran- dom-access memory and disk size. More details aro in Sec. 1.5.2.20. oveaview ov orncat. prnen CoMMUNIENTIONS 1.8 USE AND EXTENSION OF THE BOOK The following chapters present an introduction to the field of optical fiber com- munications. The sequence of topics systematically takes the reader from descrip tions of the major building blocks to analyses of complete links and networks, together with methodologies for measuring and simulating their performance. The material presented here will provide a broad and firm basis with which to analyze and design optical fiber communication systems. As is the case for any active scientific and engineering discipline, optical fiber technology is constantly undergoing changes and improvements. New con- cepts are being pursued in optical multiplexing. all-optical networking, integrated optics, and device configurations: new mitterials are being introduced for fibers, sources, and photodetectors; and maintenance and operation methodologies for optical networks are being developed. These changes should not have a major impact on the material presented in this book. since it is based on enduring fundamental concepts. The understanding of these concepts will allow a rapid comprehension of any new technological developments that will undoubtedly arise. 1.5.1 Reference Material Numerous references are provided at the end of each chapter as a start for delving deeper into any given topic. Since optical fiber communications brings together research and development efforts from many different scientific and engineering disciplines, there are hundreds of articles in the literature relating to the material covered in exch chapter. Even though not all of these articles can be cited in the references, the selections represent some of the major contributions to the fiber optics field and can be considered as a good introduction to the literature. Additional references for up-to-date developments can be found in various con- ference proceedings." Further supplementary material can be found in special- ized textbooks,2!-29.60.65-10 To help the reader understand and use the material in the book, the table in the inside front cover provides a quick reference for various physical constants and units, and Apps. A through E give an overview of the international system of units, listing of mathematical formulas needed for homework problems, discus sions on decibels, and topics from communication theory. Appendix F shows a derivation of pulse broadening or signal dispersion in an optical fiber based on examining the frequency dependence of the propgation constant in the wave equation. 1.5.2 Simulation Program on a CD-ROM ‘The abbreviated version of the PTDS software on the CD-ROM will allow stu- dents to simulate the performance of key components (eg. laser diodes, optical couplers, optical amplifiers, and photodetectors) and of basic links consisting of