Affordable dispersion mitigation method for the next generation RF-over-fiber optical channels

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Optical Communications
• Photonics

Background:

• Next-generation analog radio frequency over fiber (RFoF) links necessitate effective dispersion compensation.
• Current compensation methods often rely on additional optical elements, posing challenges for low-cost applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel, low-cost dispersion compensation technique for analog RFoF links.
• To leverage inherent properties of analog RFoF links for simplified compensation.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the low modulation depth and high-frequency carrier common in analog RFoF links.
• Approximating the optical channel as a linear system operating in the third-harmonic regime.
• Employing a simple, low-cost electronic filter for dispersion distortion compensation.

Main Results:

• Analytical and numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
• Third-harmonic distortions are shown to be linear in the power domain, enabling electronic compensation.
• The technique effectively compensates for dispersion distortions in analog RFoF links.

Conclusions:

• A cost-effective electronic dispersion compensation method is presented for analog RFoF links.
• This approach offers a promising solution for next-generation RFoF systems, particularly for home connectivity.
• The method's simplicity and low cost make it suitable for widespread adoption.