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Multiband Optical Systems Overview

The paper discusses the potential of multiband (MB) optical systems to significantly increase fiber capacity by utilizing the entire low-loss optical spectrum of single mode fibers. It compares MB with traditional solutions like space division multiplexing (SDM) and highlights the advantages and challenges of implementing MB technology. The authors conclude that MB transmission is a viable option for future telecommunications infrastructure, although further development is necessary.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
34 views3 pages

Multiband Optical Systems Overview

The paper discusses the potential of multiband (MB) optical systems to significantly increase fiber capacity by utilizing the entire low-loss optical spectrum of single mode fibers. It compares MB with traditional solutions like space division multiplexing (SDM) and highlights the advantages and challenges of implementing MB technology. The authors conclude that MB transmission is a viable option for future telecommunications infrastructure, although further development is necessary.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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Towards multiband optical systems

Conference Paper · January 2018


DOI: 10.1364/NETWORKS.2018.NeTu3E.1

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Towards multiband optical systems

Antonio Napoli1 , Nelson Costa2 , Johannes K. Fischer3 , João Pedro2,4 , Silvio Abrate5 ,
Nicola Calabretta6 , Wladek Forysiak7 , Erwan Pincemin8 , Juan P. F-P. Gimenez9 ,
Chris Matrakidis10 , Gunther Roelkens11 , Vittorio Curri12
1 Coriant R&D GmbH, Germany; 2 Coriant Portugal, Portugal; 3 Frauhofer HHI, Germany; 4 IT, IST, Portugal;
5 ISMB, Italy; 6 TU/e, The Netherlands; 7 AIPT, Aston University, UK; 8 Orange Lab, France; 9 Telefonica, Spain;
10 University of Peloponnese, Greece; 11 Ghent University-IMEC, Belgium, 12 Politecnico di Torino, Italy

[Link]@[Link], [Link]@[Link], [Link]@[Link]

Abstract: Multiband transmission is a valid option to significantly increase fiber capacity


and efficiently utilize the available and deployed optical fiber infrastructure. In this contribu-
tion, we evaluate its challenges and possible implementation.
OCIS codes: (060.2330) Fiber optics communications; (060.1660) Coherent communications.

1. Introduction
The race to increase fiber capacity moved from static systems, employing intensity modulation direct-detection (IM-
DD), to advance elastic optical networks [1, 2] where complex quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) formats
are transmitted by bandwidth variable transponders [3]. This significantly extended the fiber capacity, moving from
<1 Tb/s/fiber with 10 Gb/s IM-DD per channel to >25 Tb/s/fiber with 200 Gb/s polarization multiplexing 16-QAM
per channel. However, forecasts suggest that this capacity might not be sufficient to cope with the current growth of
IP traffic, as we enter the Zettabyte era [4]. Furthermore, the imminent deployment of 5G networks and high-capacity
access networks will further stress telecommunication infrastructures. To cope with this high demand for capacity,
researchers proposed several solutions, mainly based on space division multiplexing (SDM), by transmitting over
multi-fibers (MF) and/or multi-core (MC) and/or multi-mode (MM) fibers. In this contribution, we discuss a different
approach, which aims at transmitting over the entire low-loss optical spectrum of single mode fibers (SMF), namely
from 1260 nm to 1625 nm. We name this as multiband (MB). The main objective of this article is to compare the
advantages and shortcomings of MB and SDM, taking into account technology availability and possible applications.

Fig. 1: (a): Comparison among the different solutions; (b): Fiber attenuation and dispersion parameters over the multi-
band SMF spectrum; (c): Multiband system and bandwidth requirements of the key-components.

2. Solutions for capacity increase


Large investments have been realized with the goal of extending the total capacity of optical systems. Within SDM,
we can identify the following solutions: Multi{-Fiber, -Mode, -Core} and Fig. 1(a) compares them. Only MF can be
already realized, for example by installing several parallel systems [5] over new fibers or by lighting up the existing
dark fibers. However, this is a costly solution due to the multiplication of all network elements, and possibly requiring
also the deployment or renting of additional optical fiber pairs, potentially entailing prohibitive costs. The MC and MM
strategies have been widely investigated and numerous hero experiments have been reported. For instance, capacity
in excess of 138 Tb/s with MM [6] or up to 1 Pb/s with MC [7] has been achieved. Such strategies would greatly
contribute to address the capacity crunch, but they present several important limitations, as listed in Fig. 1(a). For
example, they require the deployment of novel fibers, which is a very costly operation. Moreover, the transponders
and also the digital signal processing units require a large amount of power because of the high-complexity MIMO
equalizers. This makes them less suitable for the most relevant scenario for these solutions, i.e., short links. The last
solution, MB, aims at exploiting spectral bands beyond the C-band, in order to maximize the return on investment of
already deployed optical infrastructure which, in the case of Europe, consists almost entirely of optical cables without
water peak [8]. This is showed in Fig. 1(b), where the five available bands (O, E, S, C, and L) present an attenuation
coefficient below 0.4 dB/km. Naturally, MB still presents numerous challenges, as discussed in next section.

3. Multiband approach, technology requirements and challenges


Fig. 1(b) reports the attenuation and dispersion over wavelength of two exemplary fiber types: ITU-T G.652A (red)
and G.652D (blue). The low-loss of G.652D across all bands (i.e. 1260 - 1625 nm), could be exploited to increase the
transmission bandwidth by several tens of THz up to 365 nm compared to C-band only systems [9]. Such a solution
would be highly competitive against MF, MC and MM, in particular for metro and regional distances, where fiber losses
(even in O-band) should be tolerable at the receiver. Fig. 1(c) displays a simplified block diagram of a MB system for
a point-to-point link, such as the ones for data-center interconnection. In this scenario, we envision that all network
components must be developed. More precisely, the following elements must be covered: (I) the transceiver (laser,
modulator, front-end, etc.) must be realized (in Indium Phosphide - InP or Silicon Photonics - SiPh [10]) possibly with
the capability of being tunable over the entire spectrum. The DSP would likely remain (at least for short reach) similar
to the existing ones; (II) the amplifiers and filters must be designed by utilizing the best doped material for each band.
For instance, in Fig. 1(b) we assume a possible choice for the rare earth materials used within the amplification stage.
Other possibilities, such as Bismuth-DFA, Raman and semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) can also be considered.
MB enables a pay-as-you-grow upgrade strategy, so that operators can install the additional bands only when required.
Finally, MB transmission will need a sophisticated software-defined network (SDN) platform to dynamically and
efficiently manage the enormous bandwidth. Such SDN platform requires a physical layer controller that provides
an accurate yet quick quality-of-transmission estimator (QoT-E) that enables exploiting the differently performing
bands [9] for transmitting, e.g., different classes of services. Such a QoT-E will need a feasible transmission model
generalizing the ones that have been developed for the C-band. A first step in this direction has been presented in [11].
4. Conclusions
We discussed the great potential of MB transmission. We compared this solution against the ones commonly proposed,
by evaluating the pros and cons. We conclude that MB transmission is a viable and realistic solution for the imminent
deployment of next generation wireless infrastructure, although specific developments are still required.
Acknowledgment
A. Napoli would like to thank the German BMBF and grant no. 16KIS0487K (Celtic project SENDATE-FICUS) for partially funding this work. N.
Costa, J. Pedro, J. K. Fischer and N. Calabretta would like to thank the EU 5G-PPP project METRO-HAUL grant no. 761727.

References
1. A. Napoli et al. “Next generation elastic optical networks: The vision of the European research project IDEALIST,” IEEE Comm. Mag.,
vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 152-162, 2015.
2. V. López and L. Velasco. “Elastic Optical Networks,” Springer International Publishing:, 2016.
3. N. Sambo et al. “Next generation sliceable bandwidth variable transponders,” IEEE Comm. Mag., vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 163-171, 2015.
4. [Link]
vni/[Link]
5. [Link]
[Link]
6. J. van Weerdenburg et al. “138-Tb/s mode- and wavelength-multiplexed transmission over six-mode graded-index fiber,” JLT, 2018.
7. T. Kobayashi et al., ”1-Pb/s (32 SDM/46 WDM/768 Gb/s) C-band dense SDM transmission over 205.6-km...,” paper Th5B.1, OFC, 2017.
8. [Link]
infrastructure
9. S. Okamoto et al., ”5-band (O, E, S, C, and L) WDM transmission with wavelength adaptive modulation format allocation,” ECOC, 2016.
10. C. Doerr et al., ”O, E, S, C, and L band silicon photonics coherent modulator/receiver,” paper Th5C.4, OFC, 2016.
11. M. Cantono et al. ”Modelling the impact of SRS on NLI generation in commercial equipment...,” Paper M1D.2, OFC, 2018.

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The key technological challenges for implementing Multiband (MB) optical systems include the need for developing transceivers capable of tuning across all spectral bands, designing amplifiers and filters with the appropriate doped materials for each band, particularly using rare earth materials or alternatives like Bismuth-DFA, Raman, and semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA). These systems also require a sophisticated software-defined network (SDN) platform for efficient bandwidth management and a precise Quality-of-Transmission estimator for handling different service classes .

Multiband transmission offers an alternative by utilizing the entire low-loss optical spectrum of single-mode fibers (SMF), from 1260 nm to 1625 nm, which extends fiber transmission capacity without the need for new fiber deployment. This is in contrast to SDM strategies like multi-fiber, multi-core, and multi-mode approaches that require laying new fibers, which is costly . While SDM can achieve extremely high capacities such as 138 Tb/s with multi-mode or up to 1 Pb/s with multi-core fibers, it involves complex transponder and digital signal processing and is not as cost-effective for short links .

Tunable transceivers play a critical role in Multiband systems by enabling flexible transmission across the entire spectrum range available, from the O-band to the L-band, which enhances network adaptability. They allow the system to dynamically adjust channel allocations and bandwidth usage according to the demand and service type, offering a strategic advantage in optimizing network resources and meeting diverse communication needs without physical reconfigurations .

Deploying Multiband systems can be more economically advantageous as they utilize existing fiber infrastructure whereas Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) solutions typically require new fiber deployments, which are costly due to the multiplication of network elements and potential leasing or installation of additional fiber pairs. Furthermore, SDM implementation involves a high power consumption for complex signal processing, making MB an attractive option for cost-effective, incremental upgrades by expanding into available spectral bands .

The limitations of Multi-core and Multi-mode fiber strategies include the necessity of deploying novel fibers, which is a costly undertaking, and the demand for complex and power-intensive digital signal processing, including MIMO equalizers. These factors limit their applicability, particularly for shorter link scenarios, and make them less feasible compared to solutions that leverage existing infrastructure like the Multiband approach .

The Multiband transmission strategy is designed to align with the anticipated data demand growth by maximizing the capacity of existing fiber infrastructure and extending the usable spectrum range. This is crucial in the context of the Zettabyte era and the deployment of 5G networks, which will create an unprecedented demand for bandwidth. By leveraging all available spectral bands, Multiband systems provide a scalable solution that can meet these increasing data demands without the need for costly new fiber installations, thus facilitating efficient upgrades and reducing latency in high-capacity networks .

Potential research areas to address challenges in Multiband optical systems include the development of low-complexity, high-efficiency digital signal processing technologies that can manage the extended spectral range efficiently, and the exploration of advanced amplifier technologies to best utilize various doped materials like rare earth elements. Another area is refining software-defined network platforms to provide enhanced Quality-of-Transmission estimation techniques. Additionally, designing cost-effective, reliable transceivers capable of extensive spectrum tunability and developing solutions for integrating these new technologies into existing infrastructure are also critical .

The Multiband approach efficiently exploits existing infrastructure by utilizing all the low-loss spectral bands from 1260 nm to 1625 nm, extending beyond the traditional C-band. This maximizes the return on investment of existing optical fibers without significant new deployment costs, leveraging their available capacity in metropolitan and regional networks where the fiber losses in broader bands are tolerable .

Advancements needed for Multiband (MB) systems include developing technology capable of transceiver tunability over entire spectral bands, creating efficient amplifiers and filters tailored to each band, and deploying advanced software-defined network (SDN) platforms with accurate quality-of-transmission estimation. These improvements should focus on enhancing low-loss performance across all usable bands in existing deployed fibers .

A software-defined network (SDN) platform offers benefits in managing Multiband optical systems through dynamic and efficient bandwidth management, which is crucial given the large bandwidths MB systems can manage. It also supports a physical layer controller for accurate Quality-of-Transmission estimation, enabling the channeling of various service classes through different spectral bands based on performance. This flexibility ensures operational efficiency and optimizes the deployment of resources across the network .

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