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Analysis of Phase Noise in a fiber-optic link. Cecil D. Thomas Aug 20 ’04. Outline. Introduction Why optical fibers? > Huge bandwidth > Immunity to interference > Low attenuation > Etc. * Where do we use optical fibers?. Problems in a fiber link > Attenuation > Dispersion
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Analysis of Phase Noise in a fiber-optic link Cecil D. Thomas Aug 20 ’04
Outline • Introduction Why optical fibers? > Huge bandwidth > Immunity to interference > Low attenuation > Etc. * Where do we use optical fibers? • Problems in a fiber link • > Attenuation • > Dispersion • > Phase noise ( How to quantify this problem in • different applications?) • > etc. * Conclusions
Analog fiber-optic links are used in • Distribution of reference signals like local oscillators. • Video transmission as in Cable TV. • Antenna remoting for radar systems. • Etc.
Major problems in a fiber-optic link • Attenuation = deterioration in signal strength • Dispersion = pulse broadening (causes ISI) • Phase Noise • Etc.
Significance of Phase Noise • A high merit frequency distribution system should perform with a phase fluctuation of less than 1 degree over several days of operation. • Detection range, dynamic range, range resolution etc. are some of the radar parameters affected by phase instabilities. • Poor phase noise degrades the quality of television pictures and data transmission.
What causes phase noise in a fiber-optic link? • Temperature fluctuation of the link • Fluctuation of longitudinally applied stress • Relative intensity noise of the laser • Back reflections in the cable • Bias fluctuations of the photodiode • Bias fluctuations of either directly modulated laser or the external modulator • Amplified spontaneous emission noise • Etc.
Our Tasks • Quantify Phase Noise in the fiber-optic link • Study the effect of Wavelength selection • Study the effect of optical amplification • Assumptions • External modulation and direct detection • Optical amplification
Block diagram of experimental setup Laser Modulator EDFA Photo detector Phase detector Filter RF Amp Phase shift = 90 degrees
Methodology • Signal from the RF source traverses two separate paths before reaching the phase-detector > 8.8 Km of fiber after modulating the laser output > One meter of electric cable • The length of the electric cable is adjusted so that the phase difference between the two paths is 90 degrees. • Time samples from the digital oscilloscope are downloaded to a PC. • Matlab is then used to calculate Power Spectral Density from the time-voltage samples.
Conclusions • Phase noise in an optical fiber-link was quantified • Wavelength selection does not have much effect on phase noise (< 2dB). • As laser power output increases, phase noise increases almost linearly (effect of shot noise, thermal noise). • Average phase noise increases by about 2.7dB with the addition of the EDFA. • For EDFA, phase noise decreases as input power increases (matches with theory).