The focus of this thesis is the computation of bit error rate in an optical fiber communication system when an avalanche photodiode (APD) is used for detection. The use of the APD increases the complexity of the BER calculation because it introduces an additional noise phenomenon: shot noise (plus multiplication noise). There are several methods to compute the BER. This thesis considers three of these methods: the Gaussian approximation, the saddlepoint approximation and a numerical quadrature method. An in-depth analysis of each computation method is presented after a thorough study of APD characteristics, involving its probability density function and its moment generating function. Numerical examples are shown and compared for each method. The examples show that the saddlepoint approximation method can be used to provide an accurate, simple form for the bit error rate, and that the Gaussian approximation tends to underestimate the BER at high gains. Different results with different photodetectors are illustrated throughout the thesis for a better understanding.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/278009 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Creators | Moretti, Marc-Jules Bernard, 1964- |
| Contributors | Liu, Ming-Kang |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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