DIRECTLY MODULATED VCSELS FOR OPTICAL ACESS AND FFTH

STUDENTS: Jose Antonio Esparza Dunai Fuentes Maria Jos Giner Bingzhen Ma SUPERVISOR: Jesper Bevensee Jensen COURSE NAME AND NUMBER: 34225 Telecommunication Summer University Date: 7 Aug 2013

Abstract
10 Gb/s optical communication is achieved in VPI by using a realistic model of a directly modulated VCSEL with a wavelength of 1537(2) nm transmitting through single-mode-fiber (SSMF). Bit-Error Ratio (BER) stands below 0.001 which is the pursue value to apply forward-error-correction (FEC).

Introduction
The remarkable booming on the Internet access makes it urgent to enhance the modern network stronger and faster. Because of the good performance on bandwidth and channels, also with financial advantages, the demand of the optical access and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) is increasing significantly. Passive Optical Networks (PONs) were developed as a lower cost solution for FTTH by tackling the problem of high fiber-count cable (particularly the point-to-point fiber to the exchange solution) and the large number of optoelectronic devices required for the point-to-point solutions. [1] Since this technology requires no power consumption on the splitting point, it stands out especially in the commercial consideration when compared to active optical networks. The vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) was first proposed in 1977 by H. Soda. [2] Since the mid1990s, VCSELs based on GaAs have been intensely studied, and 850 nm devices are now widely used in optical systems ranging from the laser mouse to optical Ethernet modules. [1] Because of the low power consumption, VCSELs were extensively used in optical interconnects for computers. Multimode cable is a kind of fiber which has diameters between 50-to-100 micron range for the light carry component and high bandwidth at high speeds over medium distances. Compared with that, Single Mode cable is a single strand of fiber with a diameter of 8.3 to 10 microns through which only one mode will propagate typically 1310 or 1550nm. [1] Because of the low mode dispersion, Single Mode fibers are more extensively used in long-distance transmission.

To achieve that objective, in the first place, the feature of VCSEL should be characterized by experiments; in the second place, the transmission performance should also be valued according to Bit Error Rate (BER) based on telecommunication system model described below.

In this report, we present investigations of IP characteristic both on lab experiments and software simulations carried out by VPItransmissionMaker & VPIcomponentMaker, which is a professional design and simulation software in optical telecommunication. Then the BER vs. transmission distance and bit rate characteristic of directly modulated VCSEL is presented based on simulations in order to investigate the impact of chirp and chromatic dispersion. 300Mb/s connection to 32 final users had been achieved through 10km of common optical fiber and more final users can be rise scarifying bitrate. This accomplish the GPON expectations and is by far enough for nowadays applications. [1] Palais J C. Fiber optic communications[M]. Prentice Hall, 1988. [2] K. Iga, Surface-emitting laser its birth and generation of new optoelectronics field. IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 6, 12011215 (2000)

Methodology
Back-to-back characterization of the VCSEL is mandatory not only to enhance its performance in a practical scenario but also to collect the required data for accurate simulations. Once error-free 500 Mb/s communication had taken place in the lab further high speed simulations are performed within VPIs workspace in order to find the optimal point between bit rate, BER and dispersion tolerance.

Experiments
Power characterization shows how much current is required to set up the VCSEL at its working point.

Fig. 1. Experimental setup for power characterization. The results are as showed in the following graphic

Fig. 2. VCSEL power for a given bias. When using more than 10 mA no more power is achieved. This effect can also be used, and will be, for reducing the noise when sending a positive bit. 0 will correspond with 2 mA and 1 with 12 mA being the bias 7 mA. Temperature can also produce losses. The dominant wavelength can be measured by using a photo-detector as well as an oscilloscope

Fig. 3. Experimental setup for wavelength measurement. Left or right mode is also specified with grey or blue respectively
1542 1541 1540 max (nm) 1539 1538 1537 1536 1535 1534 0 2 4 6 8 Current (mA) 10 12 14 16

Fig. 4. VCSEL wavelength for a given bias. The wavelength will be set somewhere around 1.53 um which is the desire one for lower attenuation through fiber. BER and Eye Diagrams must also be studied. The chosen bitrate for this purpose is 500 Mb/s

Fig. 5. The pattern generator is presented as the three first blocks, the eye diagram will be presented in the oscilloscope and the by the two blocks on the middle right side. The resulting eye diagram is clean and the BER was below .

Fig. 6. Eye diagram

Fig. 7. Measured BER

The BER is perfect and the system can be considered as error free. The eye opening is good enough (176 mV). Introducing kilometers of fiber between the emitter and the receiver has drastic impact in form of attenuation. This has been tested with and without electrical amplifier.

Fig. 8. Same model as fig. 5. with a 20 dBm amplifier and 50km of single mode fiber. Without the amplifier the signal is nearly undetectable but as long as almost no noise is introduced the amplification is successful, the resulting eye opening wide (320mV) and the BER technically 0.

Fig. 9. Signal before and after amplification. NOTE: Figures 1, 3 and 8 are representative models of the devices used in the lab, similar VPI model wont result in showed images.

Simulations
Knowing that 500Mb/s error-free is possible the next step is simulate whether higher speeds can be obtained with our VCSEL keeping a low BER and how much tolerance to dispersion can we achieve.

Fig. 10. Simulation schema for VPI. 1km fiber with 0 attenuation. Data for temperature effects extracted from experimental analysis.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

1km 20 km 10 km

-log(BER)

1 0,9 0,8 0,7 0,6 0,5 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5

Receiver input power (dBm)

Fig. 11. Working at 10Gb/s When performing short distances 10Gb/s communications we can get lower BER than the 0.001 required by having -22 dBm remaining just before the photodiode. 20km and 10km are far from possible with this setup.

Reducing the bitrate longer distances become affordable.

1 km 10 km 20 km
10 9 8 7 6 5

-log(BER)

4 3

1 -32 -30 -28 -26 -24 -22 -20 -18 -16 -14 -12 -10

Receiver input power (dBm)

Fig. 12. Working at 2.5 Gb/s Tolerance to dispersion also depends on bitrate being higher for lower bitrates.

-19,5 -20,0 -20,5

Sensitivity [dBm]

-21,0 -21,5 -22,0 -22,5 -23,0 -23,5 -1000 -500 0 500 1000 1500

Dispersion [ps/nm]

Fig. 13. Dispersion tolerance working at 2.5 Gb/s

Sensitivity[dBm]
-18,5 -19,0 -19,5 -20,0 -20,5 -21,0 -21,5 -22,0 -22,5 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80

Sensitivity[dBm]

Disperssion[ps/nm]

Fig. 14. Dispersion tolerance working at 10 Gb/s For a power penalty of 2dB, the dispersion must be within a range from -73 to 60 ps/nm if transmitting at 10Gb/s. However for the same power penalty transmitting at 2.5 Gb/s the tolerance range spans from -837 to 1134 ps/nm. Chirp can also influence the tolerance. A linewidth enhancement factor () of 4 would show different results.

-15,0 -15,5 -16,0 -16,5 -17,0 -17,5

alpha_10 alpha_4

Sensitivity[dBm]

-18,0 -18,5 -19,0 -19,5 -20,0 -20,5 -21,0 -21,5 -22,0 -22,5 -200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200

Disperssion[ps/nm]

Fig. 15. Dispersion tolerance working at 10 Gb/s for different alpha factors Less chirp leads to more tolerance. Filtering the optical signal after transmission cuts away some dispersion introduced in the spectrum when transmitting a 0.

Fig. 16. Simulation schema for VPI. 1km fiber with 0 attenuation. Data for temperature effects extracted from experimental analysis. =4. The filter was centered at 193.11894 THz and its bandwidth was set to 24.24 GHz.

-16

-17

Sensitivity (dBm)

-18

-19

-20

-21

-22 -50 0 50 100 150 200 250

Dispersion (ps/nm)

Fig. 15. Dispersion tolerance working at 10 Gb/s. =10. Filtered before reception. After filtering the tolerance range for 10Gb/s spans from -10 to 240 ps/nm. Wider tolerance range is always better. However the improvement dont stands only in this fact but also in the fact that common fiber has positive dispersion values which much more covered by this setup.

Conclusion
Respecting the maximum 0.001 BER 10Gb/s point-to-point communication through 10 km of common optical fiber. Considering the power requirements and 0.2dB per kilometer attenuation in the fiber: Starting power After the fiber Power needed before the photodiode

The power can be divided 32 times, that means providing 300Mb/s connection to 32 final users. In case we lower the bitrate down to 2.5Gb/s it is possible to reach final users located 20 Km away from the source. Additionally this makes it possible to double the number of final users, reaching up to 64.