Improved chromatic dispersion monitoring using single RF monitoring tone

We demonstrate an improved chromatic dispersion monitoring technique using a single RF monitoring tone. Compared to conventional techniques using a single RF monitoring tone, our proposed technique is able to monitor the sign of the residual dispersion and doubles the monitoring range. Our proposed technique utilizes the RF fading caused by chromatic dispersion and a two-detector dispersion monitor setup, where a dispersion offset is inserted before one of the detectors. The observed monitoring error is less than +/-35 ps/nm over a 1300 ps/nm monitoring range. A small power penalty less than 0.5 dB is observed due to the addition of the RF monitoring tone. Our technique is more than twice as accurate as the conventional technique.