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Linearisation Method of DML-Based Transmitters for Optical Communications Part III: Pulse Amplitude Modulation

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Cunningham, DG 

Abstract

A new linearization method for optical transmitters based on directly modulated lasers (DMLs), named the Stretched A method, was proposed in Parts I and II of this work. Parts I and II presented the theoretical framework of the method for non-return-To-zero (NRZ) modulation and related detailed simulation and experimental results. Here, we extend the method to pulse amplitude modulation schemes (PAM). Focussing on 4-level PAM (PAM-4), we present the theoretical background and discuss implementation options. A simplified variation of the method for the generation of PAM signals with a significantly lower number of sub-currents is proposed. Simulation studies for PAM-4 transmission at 50 GBaud (100 Gb/s) and an experimental proof-of-principle demonstration at 16 GBaud (32 Gb/s) are reported based on 850 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). For PAM-4, products of effective eye diagram areas ({\boldsymbol{PS}}) of 0.6 × 10-5 and 43 × 10-5 before and after applying the Stretched A method were measured, demonstrating an improvement ratio of ∼72. The sensitivity and tolerances of the method are analyzed using simulation and experiment.

Description

Keywords

Directly-modulated lasers, linearization method, non-linearity, optical transmitters, pulse amplitude modulation, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Journal Title

Journal of Lightwave Technology

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0733-8724
1558-2213

Volume Title

39

Publisher

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Rights

Publisher's own licence
Sponsorship
EPSRC (via University of Leeds) (RG.ELEC.114773)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/S016570/1)
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