Non-Linear Noise Contributions in Highly Dispersive Optical Transmission Systems

This article reports an analytical investigation, confirmed by numerical simulations, about the non-linear noise contribution in single-channel systems adopting generic modulation-detection formats in long links with both managed and unmanaged dispersion compensation and its impact in system performance. This noise contribution is expressed in terms of a pulse non-linear interaction length and permits a simple calculation of the Q-factor. Results point out the dependence of this non-linear noise on the number of amplifiers spans, N, according to the adopted chromatic dispersion compensation scheme, the modulation-detection format, and the signal baud rate. It is also shown how the effects of polarization multiplexing can be taken into account and how this single-channel non-linear noise contribution can be used in a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) environment.