Abstract
We report the first superchannel field experiment where two multicarrier signals
at 450 Gb/s and 1.15 Tb/s are copropagated with 112-Gb/s neighbors over 45 × 79.1 km spans of field-installed fiber with erbium-doped fiber amplifiers after each
span. The superchannels use zero-guard interval all-optical orthogonal
frequency-division multiplexing, with each optically generated subcarrier modulated by
dual-polarization quadriphase-shift-keying signals (DP-QPSK). The heterogeneous
data-rate channels are aggregated using wavelength selective switch in a flexible grid
wavelength-division multiplexing architecture. The net spectral efficiencies of the
channels vary from 2 b/s/Hz for the 112-Gb/s channels, to 3.33 b/s/Hz for the 1.15-Tb/s
superchannel. We demonstrate that any of the signals can be detected using a common
filterless digital coherent receiver. In particular, tuning a local oscillator laser
midway between two optically generated subcarriers enables the coherent receiver (with
proper signal-processing algorithm) to demodulate two subcarriers in one data capture.
This allows flexible downconversion across the whole signal band. Our results show that
superchannels can coexist harmoniously with 100 G DP-QPSK signals. Even though the
superchannels use the same modulation format per subcarrier as the 100 G signals, the
absence of guard bands enables higher spectral efficiency that is achievable with
single-carrier modulation with minimal sacrifice in reach.
© 2011 IEEE
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