Cross-talk penalty compensation and reach extension in wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network using remote Raman pump

We propose a relatively simple solution that can compensate the signal attenuation due to stimulated Raman scattering cross-talk in a wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network (WDM-PON). The proposed solution also significantly increases the reach of the PON segment, enabling the merger of access and metro network boundaries. This can be accomplished using remote Raman amplification where a continuous wave counter-propagating pump is injected from one of the optical node units. A similar to 13 dB amplification of the downstream signal is observed with a bit error rate << 1 x 10(-12) for a 20-km fiber span. The reach of WDM-PON can be extended to similar to 40 km for typical 32 splits or up to 25 km for 64 splits using the proposed technique. We also report the effect of pump polarization on the amplification. (C) 2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. [DOI: 10.1117/1.3481116]