In this dissertation we present the research findings around two important hot topics of modern and future fiber-optic communication systems: 100 Gbit/s transmission and alloptical processing of received phase-modulated signals. The findings are discussed in the same chronological order they were obtained. Each topic is summarized in two chapters that correspond to one selected journal and one conference publications. The first and second chapters are dedicated to the simulation and numerical analysis of 100 Gbit/s systems. In chapter one, we present a thorough investigation of the best 100 Gbit/s serial modulation format. Seven different modulation formats are considered and are compared in terms of tolerance to dispersion and maximum reach for a 10⁻⁹ bit error rate target. In chapter two, the behavior of chapter one’s best candidate is analyzed in a realistic environment. The influence of the existing lower data rate neighboring channels is discussed in particular. The results of these two chapters were obtained in collaboration with engineers from the Deutsche Telekom Technology Center in Darmstadt, Germany. They served as a theoretical basis for a field trial carried out by this same company. Chapter three and four focus on the use of semiconductor optical amplifiers for all-optical processing applications. Impaired phased-modulated signals are under particular interest in this study. The novelty in this work resides in the counter-propagating configuration that the semiconductor optical amplifier is operated in. In chapter three we give a detailed description of the experimental results. The complete setup is explained and the improvement in Q-factor and bit error rate for the received signal is proven. Furthermore, two novel concepts (Photonic Balancing and Saturated Asymmetric Filtering) that explain the observed improvements are developed and discussed for the first time to the best of our knowledge. Finally, chapter four aims at optimizing numerically the experimental setup for the saturated asymmetric filtering technique. The required detuned filter after the saturated semiconductor optical amplifier is optimized in terms of both off set and bandwidth.

Dans le contexte de l'expansion de la téléphonie mobile et de l'Internet de l'année 2000, la conception de systèmes de transmission numériques sur fibre optique atteignant des capacités de l'ordre du terabit/s est envisagée par les équipementiers. Ce travail de thèse contribue à répondre à ce défi technologique, dans le cadre des systèmes terrestres utilisant la technique du multiplexage en longueur d'onde (WDM). Les solutions explorées consistent, premièrement en l'évolution du débit par canal de 10 Gbit/s à 40 Gbit/s puis en l'augmentation de la capacité d'information transmise par unité de bande passante optique jusqu'à 1.28 bit.s-1Hz-1. Les adaptations des systèmes sont préalablement analysées par simulations numériques offrant des règles d'ingénierie et des idées nouvelles puis les résultats de ces analyses sont concrétisés par des expériences de transmission démonstratives allant jusqu'à un multiplexage de 256 canaux à 40 Gbit/s soit une capacité totale de 10 Tbit/s.

A combined solution of the Feed-Forward Equalizer (FFE) and Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT) noise cancellation technique was suggested. The techniques increase data throughput and improve link quality in the 20-in FR4 legacy backplane application. Backplane channel loss and coupling noise were measured and characterized to develop the corresponding behavioral channel model. The receiver-side FFE with 4-tap Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter structure was adopted as the optimum equalizer topology. The 4-tap FIR filter consists of tap delay line with tap-spacing 33 ps and linear tap-gain amplifiers. The tap coefficients were calculated with the Minimum-Mean-Squared-Error (MMSE) algorithm. A 0.18-um CMOS 4-tap FIR filter IC was designed and fabricated. The experiment results showed the 20-Gbit/sec 4-PAM and 10-Gbit/sec NRZ signal were successfully equalized for the 20-in FR4 legacy backplane channel. Moreover, the suggested NEXT noise cancellation technique consists of coarse- and fine-cancellation stages. The 0.18-um CMOS building block ICs such as 7-tap FIR filter, tunable active Pole-Zero (PZ) filter, and a temporal alignment delay line were fabricated. The experiment results showed that 6-dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) improvement was achieved by the developed NEXT noise cancellation technique.

The objective of the proposed research is to realize a 10-Gb/sec serial data link over band-limited channels, such as backplanes, multi-mode fiber, and copper-based cables that were originally designed for data rates less than 1Gb/sec. This is achieved using electrical equalization implemented in an integrated circuit (IC). To successfully compensate for various band-limited channels at the targeted data rate with a single equalizer IC, a reconfigurable equalizer topology is proposed. In order to realize the proposed goal, various channels are characterized of their forward transmission frequency response. Based on the measured channel data, system simulations are performed to identify the required specifications for IC implementation. This provides information such as optimal number of taps, fractionally-spaced tap delay, and tap coefficients for the proposed IC. With the obtained system requirements, IC building blocks are designed and fabricated in a 0.18- and #956;m CMOS technology. The fully-integrated reconfigurable CMOS equalizer provides a single-chip solution for compensating various band-limited channels. This enables 10-Gb/sec serial data transmission achieving signal integrity beyond their designed specifications.

As high bandwidth applications continue to emerge, investigation in technologies that will increase transmission capacity become necessary. Of these technologies, Optical Time Division Multiplexing (OTDM) has been presented as a possible solution, supporting a next generation bit rate of 160 Gbit/s. To perform the demultiplexing task, the use of tandem electro-absorption modulators (EAMs) has been widely studied, and due to its benefits was chosen as the topology of this thesis. To create an effective model of an OTDM system, the vector based mathematical simulation tool MatLab is used. Care was taken to create an accurate representation of an OTDM system, including: the development of a realistic pulse shape, the development of a true pseudo-random bit sequence in all transmitted channels, the optimization of the gating function, and the representation of system penalty. While posing impressive bit rates, various sources of system performance degradation pose issues in an OTDM system, owning to its ultra-narrow pulse widths. The presence of dispersion, timing jitter, polarization mode dispersion, and nonlinear effects, can sufficiently degrade the quality of the received data. This thesis gives a clear guideline to the tolerance an OTDM system exhibits to each of the aforementioned sources of system penalty. The theory behind each impairment is thoroughly discussed and simulated using MatLab. From the simulated results, a finite degree of sensitivity to each source of system penalty is realized. These contributions are of particular importance when attempting to implement an OTDM system in either the laboratory, or the field. / Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-17 22:51:56.471

Depuis une dizaine d’années, avec la diversification des appareils connectés (PCs, Tablettes, TVs et Smartphones), l’écosystème Internet s’est drastiquement étendu. Aujourd’hui, 80 % du trafic IP mondial est concentré dans les centres de données. Pour répondre aux problématiques d’échelle des centres de données en terme de densité de bande passante, de consommation énergétique et de coût des interconnections, le développement de nouveaux émetteurs optiques est critique. L’objectif de cette thèse est de proposer et évaluer différentes architectures d’émetteur en photonique sur silicium afin de répondre à la prochaine norme de débit de 400 Gbit/s sur des transmissions de 2 kilomètres. Le modulateur électro-optique sélectionné est le modulateur silicium en anneau résonant. Il possède des avantages non négligeables: faibles dimensions, faible consommation énergétique, et il permet un multiplexage dense en longueurs d’ondes. Durant cette thèse, l’optimisation de l’émetteur optique a été faite de manière progressive: de la jonction active à l’émetteur complet. Cette première étude a identifié les différents compromis à faire sur les paramètres du modulateur en anneau afin de définir ses performances. Un model compact du modulateur a été créé, permettant d’optimiser le composant avec un temps de simulation très réduit. Puis, tout en utilisant le modèle compact, deux architectures d’émetteur ont été étudiées basées sur une architecture classique de la littérature. Elles sont basées sur la mise en série de 8 modulateurs en anneau, chacun modulant une longueur d’onde différente. La différence entre les deux architectures vient du format de modulation utilisé: la première est modulée avec des signaux sur deux niveaux électriques avec des signaux sur 2 niveaux électriques au format d’impulsions en amplitude (PAM-2) à 50 Gbaud ; alors que la deuxième est modulée avec des signaux sur 4 niveaux électriques au format d’impulsions en amplitude (PAM-4). Les deux solutions répondent aux demandes de performances de la norme 400 Gbit/s avec les mêmes points de compromis de fonctionnement. Finalement, de nouvelles architectures d’émetteur optique ont été proposées permettant de réaliser la modulation PAM-4. Contrairement aux solutions précédemment étudiées, ces architectures utilisent en entrée deux flux de bits en parallèle qui sont optiquement combinés pour générer en sortie une modulation PAM-4. Une première solution est basée sur la mise en série de deux modulateurs en anneaux. Cette architecture a été validée avec des caractérisations de transmission optique à 30 Gbit/s avec seulement 1 Vpp de tension de commande. Une seconde solution a ensuite été proposée, elle est basée sur l’utilisation de deux modulateurs mis en parallèle dans un interféromètre Mach Zehnder. De la même manière, des caractérisations de transmission à 30 Gbit/s avec 1.2 Vpp de tension de commande ont permis de valider le fonctionnement de l’architecture. / Over the past decade, with the diversification of connected devices (PCs, Tablets, TVs and Smartphones), the Internet ecosystem has drastically extended. Today, 80 % world traffic is concentrated in the data centers where the data rate, the size and the cost is still growing. To address such scaling issues as bandwidth density, energy consumption and cost of the interconnects inside the data centers, the development of new optical transmitters is critical. The aim of this thesis is to propose and evaluate transmitter architectures using silicon photonics technology to address next 400 Gbit/s data rate standard over up to 2 kilometer links. The selected electro-optical modulator is the silicon ring resonator modulator which has substantial benefits: low footprint, low energy consumption and enables dense multiplexing. The optical transmitter architectures evaluations were successively optimized: from the active junction to the complete optical transmitter. This study identified the performances trade-offs impacted by the ring resonator modulator parameters. A compact model was generated to physically optimize the component in a reduced simulation time. Then, using the compact model, two transmitter architectures were studied based on classical architecture. Both are based on eight ring resonator modulators arranged in series modulating eight different wavelengths. The difference is the modulation format: the first one is electrically modulated at 50 Gbaud in 2-levels pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-2) and the second one at 25 Gbaud 4-levels pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4). The two solutions fit the 400 Gbit/s performances demand with the use of the same trade-offs. Finally, new transmitter architectures were proposed to generate PAM-4 modulation. Unlike the previous architecture, they have in input two parallel bit streams which are optically combined to generate the PAM-4 modulation. The first solution is based on two silicon ring resonator modulator arranged in series. This architecture was validated through 30 Gbit/s transmission characterizations with only 1 Vpp. A second solution was then proposed, based on two silicon ring resonator modulators arranged in parallel in a Mach Zehnder interferometer. In the same way, transmission characterizations at 30 Gbit/s with 1.2 Vpp allows this architecture to be validated.

[pt] Este trabalho tem como foco o up-grade da taxa de bits em enlaces ópticos através da tecnologia OTDM. Os sistemas analisados contemplam os up-grades das taxas de 2,48 Gbps para 10 Gbps e também da taxa de 10 Gbps para 40 Gbps. Para tal, foram introduzidos módulos de transmissão e recepção, capazes de utilizar arquiteturas quase totalmente ópticas. É avaliado então, através de simulações, o comportamento da arquitetura proposta em infra-estruturas de enlaces já instalados no Brasil, destacando os pontos mais críticos. No que se refere ao up-grade de 10 Gbps para 40 Gbps, foi dado enfoque especial para as penalidades relativas à PMD (Polarization Mode Dispersion). / [en] This work aims at up grading the bit rate of optical links through the OTDM technology. The analyzed up-grades change the bit rate of 2,48 Gbps up to 10 Gbps and also from the bit rate of 10 Gbps up to 40 Gbps. To reach these objectives, transmission and reception modules were introduced, using all optical networks topologies. The performance of the proposed architecture was simulated using a infrastructure of links already installed in Brazil. The most critical issues were pointed out. Concerning the up-grade from 10 Gbps to 40 Gbps, a special focus was given to the penalties due to PMD (Polarization Mode Dispersion).

For high-speed (e.g. more than 1 Gbit/s) filtration of network traffic there are available many of proprietary hardware solutions nowadays. But there are also a couple of free licensed projects that are specialized in high-speed packet processing on common hardware. The goal of thesis is to find such projects, verify that there are filtering tools based on these projects, try to filter 10Gbit/s network traffic by these tools and test them against various filtration settings. Implementation of packet filter that could be used for filtration of network traffic up to 10Gbit/s speed should be the output of this thesis.

Les systèmes de transmission de données numériques par fibre optique, multiplexés en longueur d'onde et fonctionnant au débit de 40 Gbit/s par canal, seront bientôt indispensables pour absorber l'augmentation attendue de la demande en capacité, que les systèmes actuels à 10 Gbit/s ne pourront plus assurer. L'étude de technologies avancées permettant leur optimisation est alors indispensable. Pour cela, nous avons d'abord étudié des formats de modulation permettant une propagation optimale des signaux optiques en présence d'une capacité plus élevée. La transmission binaire à profil de phase contrôlé et la modulation de phase sur quatre niveaux répondent à ces critères. Nous avons également étudié les effets de propagation prédominants à 40 Gbit/s, les effets non-linéaires dits intra-canaux. La modulation de phase assure aussi une tolérance accrue à ces effets, qui est exaltée par l'utilisation de l'alternance de polarisation. Nous avons ensuite étudié différents systèmes à 40 Gbit/s. Par ces études nous avons d'abord montré que les systèmes sous-marins conventionnels, conçus pour 10 Gbit/s, peuvent être utilisés à 40 Gbit/s grâce à la modulation de phase et à une compensation de la pente de dispersion. Nous avons ensuite testé des systèmes équipés d'un codage de l'information à l'émission dans le but de diminuer l'impact des effets intra-canaux. Leur performance peut s'améliorer grâce à des modifications minimales de la séquence d'information. Nous avons enfin montré que les systèmes sous-marins de nouvelle génération améliorés, sans fibres compensatrices mais équipés d'un dispositif de conjugaison de phase optique ont le potentiel de surpasser les systèmes existants.

La théorie, la conception, l'optimisation et la caractérisation d'amplificateurs distribués en technologie TBDH InP 0,7 µm, pour les systèmes de communications optiques à 100 Gbit/s, sont présentés. Nous montrons comment l'exploitation adaptée du concept d'amplificateur distribué avec une technologie de transistors bipolaires à produit vitesse-amplitude élevé a permis la réalisation d'un driver de modulateur électro-optique fournissant une amplitude différentielle d'attaque de 6,2 et 5,9 Vpp, à 100 et 112 Gbit/s, respectivement, avec une qualité de signal élevée. Ce circuit établit ainsi le record de produit vitesse-amplitude à 660 Gbit/s.V sur tranche et 575 Gbit/s.V en module hyperfréquence. Dans le cadre du projet Européen POLYSYS, il a été associé à un laser accordable et un modulateur pour la réalisation d'un module transmetteur optoélectronique compact, démontrant des performances avançant l'état de l'art des communications optiques courtes distances à 100 Gbit/s. / The theory, design, optimisation and characterisation of distributed amplifiers in 0.7-µm InP DHBT technology, for 100-Gbit/s optical communication systems, are presented. We show how the appropriate implementation of the distributed amplifier concept in a bipolar transistors technology with high swing-speed product has enabled the realisation of an electro-optic modulator driver with 6.2- and 5.9-Vpp differential driving amplitude at 100 and 112 Gb/s, respectively, with a high signal quality. This circuit thus establishes the swing-speed product record at 660 Gb/s.V on wafer and at 575 Gb/s.V in a microwave module. In the frame of the European project POLYSYS, it has been co-packaged with a tunable laser and a modulator to realise a compact optoelectronic transmitter module, which has demonstrated performances advancing the state of the art of short reach 100-Gb/s optical communications.