Advances in Applied Sciences
2018; 3(4): 43-51
[Link]
doi: 10.11648/[Link].20180304.11
ISSN: 2575-2065 (Print); ISSN: 2575-1514 (Online)
Simulated Sensitivity Improvement of Optical Receiver in
Fiber Optic Network
Elechi Promise, Orike Sunny, Minah-Eeba Winner
Department of Electrical Engineering, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Email address:
To cite this article:
Elechi Promise, Orike Sunny, Minah-Eeba Winner. Simulated Sensitivity Improvement of Optical Receiver in Fiber Optic Network.
Advances in Applied Sciences. Vol. 3, No. 4, 2018, pp. 43-51. doi: 10.11648/[Link].20180304.11
Received: September 12, 2018; Accepted: September 20, 2018; Published: October 15, 2018
Abstract: With the increasing demand and growth in optical telecommunication networks, the sensitivity of an optical
receiver become an important part of telecommunication transmission networks. The unlimited bandwidth of an optical fiber
create a path for large volume of signals to flow rapidly in a fraction of a seconds. This increase in the volume of transmitted
signals causes severe traffic congestion, making the receiver insensitive, prolong the signal processing time and identified bits
wrongly. In this research, Optisystem 7 professional software using Erbium Doped Fiber (EDF), Avalanche photodiode (APD),
Non-Return-to-Zero modulation format, optimization tool and low pass Bessel filter, CW laser, pump laser, a gain flattering
filter, attenuator, Bit Error Rate Analyzer (BER) etc, was used to improve the sensitivity of the receiver. The procedure of the
design was to first improve on the gain using Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA), reduce loss and propagation time and
increase the signal flow. Optisystem simulation was used to determine the optimum gain and the receiver sensitivity for several
values of attenuation. This research investigated and analyzed the performance of the optical receiver at a wavelength of
1550nm, optic fiber of length 100km. Simulations were made and the Bit Error Rate analyzer values taken. Several values of
Q-Factor and Bit Error Rate were tabulated and the corresponding graphs plotted. There was an improvement in the gain,
quality factor, the quality of signal with a low noise value and the extended transmission or propagation time was reduced. The
result of the design showed an improvement in the sensitivity of the receiver.
Keywords: EDFA, APD, Attenuator, Filter, Optisystem
infrared radiation (optical transmitters), a photo sensitive
1. Introduction detector to convert the optical signal back into an electrical
1.1. Research Background signal (optical receiver). Fiber optic data link transmit the
input data via fiber optic devices and ensures that the data is
Optical fiber is a major component of several available at the output as information. Fiber optic data link
communication organization. It is a fundamental structure of perform three functions [2].
many wide and local area network. In addition, recent The sensitivity of an optical receiver is defined as the
advances in the development and manufacture of optical minimum average received power (Prec) needed by the
systems has made it the lasted frontier in the field of receiver to operate at a bit error rate (BER) of 10-9, (the
telecommunication. Optical systems have replaced a lot of minimum optical power of the incident light signal that is
copper wire and are also replacing most of the point-to-point needed to keep the required BER or the minimum energy
long distance communications traffic previously handled by needed for the receiver to detect an incoming signal). The
microwave particularly transoceanic. Optical systems are function of the transmitter is to convert the input signal from
recognized as the superior medium for developing high band the input source to an optical signal for transmission. It
width communication signals over long distances [1]. comprise of two distinct parts: a source drive circuit and the
Optical system comprises of three major parts: a fiber interface circuit. The drive circuit is responsible for
optic transmission strand which carries the light signal from a converting the electrical signal into optical signal. It achieved
few feet to thousands of kilometers, a source of invisible this process by regulating the current that flows through the
44 Elechi Promise et al.: Simulated Sensitivity Improvement of Optical Receiver in Fiber Optic Network
light source. Two major types of optical signal sources are telescopic system having a primary and secondary mirror, a
laser diodes and LEDS. The optical signal is send into the block of beam splitter, a spherical aberration from chromatic
fiber by the optical source. The optical signal becomes components and diaphragm placed along an optical axis of
weaker and gradually distorted as a result of noise, scattering, the optical receiver. The chromatic component is used to
dispersion and absorption processes in the fiber [3]. demultiplex the wavelength channels of the input optical
beam of the receiver in such a way that channels are focused
1.2. Review of Related Works at different focal planes on the optical axis of the receivers
A major improvement in the field of optical receiver [6, 13].
development occurred in 1985 when Lanny S. Smoot came In 2012, a group of engineers designed an optical receiver
up with the idea of using trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for using trans-impedance amplifier with light detector and
optical receivers. TIA is a receiver comprising of a reverse equalization in MOS technology. They combined spatially
biased ADP or PIN coupled to the input of a high impedance modulated light (SML) detector with an equalizer in a
amplifier. His invention relates particularly to optical monolithically integrated photo detector and obtained a
communication receivers that are used in light guide system, maximum data rate. It was the fasted photo detector
more specifically to the trans-impedance amplifier (TIA). He integrated in a standard CMOS design that uses standard
stated that optical receivers are an aspect of light guide supplies at 3.3v or below. To increase the functionality of the
system used for optical communication networks and photo detector, it was implemented in CMOS technology as
generally have a few dynamic range [4] photodetector with SML detector. This detector consist of a
[14] developed a control loop used in the optical receiver row of photodetector alternatively covered and uncovered
within which the dynamic range of the input amplifier was with a light blocking metals. The design eliminated extra
widened. The idea of his invention was to utilize a PIN diode overhead and cost of assembly of multichip. The problem of
as a regulatory resistance component joined to the input of Emergency Detection System (EDS), parasitic associated
the trans-impedance amplifier. This was done in order to with the bond pad, ground bounce and bond wire were also
distinguish the direct voltage component from the voltage on eliminated [7, 11, 12].
the output of the trans-impedance amplifier, and to regulate
the PIN diode resistance on the point of the said direct 2. Materials and Method
voltage elements. The advantageous point of his invention is
the use of inexpensive components [11]. The problem with 2.1. Simulation Tools
his invention is that the addition of a control loop impaired Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the main tools and sequence used
the sensitivity of the optical receiver a little [5, 14]. in optisystem software to simulate the design.
[6] invented optical receiver for WDM free space
communication system. The optical receiver consist of a
Figure 1. Optisystem Graphical User Interface (GUI).
Advances in Applied Sciences 2018; 3(4): 43-51 45
Figure 2. Research Layout Window.
Figure 3. Optisystem Components.
is produced in time domain and it permit the effect of
2.2. Eye Diagram Pattern waveform distortion to be displayed immediately the
This is a simple and improved measurement techniques to simulation is activated as shown in figure. 4. To get the
access the performance of an optical telecommunication correct system performance, several word patterns should be
system. It produces a visual way of monitoring the optical made available by creating a random data signal to simulate
receiver performance; closing of the eye is an indication that the real situation. The Bit error rate Analyzer measures the
the optical receiver is not functioning adequately. When an performance of the system based on the signal before and
oscilloscope is coupled and driven by an optical receiver after the propagation [8, 11].
output and is activated by the signal source driving the
transmitter, an eye pattern is displayed. The more the eye
opens, the better the optical signal quality. The eye diagram
46 Elechi Promise et al.: Simulated Sensitivity Improvement of Optical Receiver in Fiber Optic Network
stages. The design of the Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier
(EDFA), and the optical receiver circuit. The design was
carried out using Optisystem 7 professional software.
2.5. Amplifier Design Circuit
The Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) consists of a
length of Erbium Doped Fiber, a pump laser (980m,
140mW), a CW laser(155onm, -30dBm) and a component
called WDM (lower frequency limit 185Thz, upper
frequency limit 200Thz). A pump coupler (bidirectional)
Figure 4. Eye Diagram Interpretation [9]. combined the optical signal and the pump wavelength so that
they can be transmitted at the same time via the Erbium
2.3. Bit Error Rate
Doped Fiber (EDF, 5m). The EDFA was designed such that
This is the ratio of detected bit error to the number of total the pump energy and the signal propagates in the same
bit transmitted. It is also the probability of total errors in a direction (forward pumping). ). The optical signal enters the
number of bits of data to the total transmitted bits at a given amplifier via the input port or CW laser, and then passes via a
time interval. The error rate for telecommunication varies tap whose function is to divert a small amount of the signal
from 10-9 to 12-12 and does depend on the types of service. power, about 1-2 percent to an input detector (Avalanche
The eye diagram analyzer is used to measure the BER in the photodiode). Greater percentage of the signal from the tap
optical system layout during simulation [10]. passes via an isolator and then combined with the pump
energy emitted by the 980nm pump laser diode. The
2.4. Description of Method combined optical signal and the pump energy were
transmitted along the EDF, where signal amplification took
The design method used in this research was based on two
place as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier Design.
2.6. The Optical Receiver Designed Circuit signal at a wavelength of 1550nm, the input power was 0dBm
and was modulated at 2.5GHZ using NRZ pseudorandom binary
Optical system transmit data using optical carrier wave from a sequence in a Mach-Zehnder modulator with 40dB extinction
transmitter to a receiver through optical fiber cable. The input ratio. The optical fiber cable used in this research was a single
signals from the pseudorandom sequence generator contain mode optical fiber because it yield higher data rate, operate in a
electrical information that is characterized by 0’s and 1’s long haul distance, and has less dispersion which makes it
produced by a NRZ pulse generator. The laser supplies input
Advances in Applied Sciences 2018; 3(4): 43-51 47
suitable for transmission link. The photodetector diodes translate detector because of it high amplification factor. The simulation
the optical signal into electrical signal output. The lowpass parameters for the analysis of the receiver sensitivity input
Bessel filter filters the electrical signals. The system design is power at 100km of optical fiber length with various attenuation
shown in Figure 6. Avalanche photodiode was used as the values were shown.
Figure 6. System Design for the Receiver Sensitivity.
2.7. Visualizer Parameters
3. Results
Here, the simulation time window, the number of samples,
and the sample rate were defined using three parameters as
illustrated in figure. 7. These parameters include:
- Bit rate
- Bit sequence length
Number of samples per bit
These parameters were used to calculate the Time window,
Sample rate, and Number of samples:
Time window = Sequence length * 1/Bit rate = 1024 * 1 /
2.5E+9 = 4.096E-7s
Number of samples = Sequence length * Samples per bit =
1024*64 = 65536 samples
Sample rate = Number of samples / Time window = 65536
/ 4.096*10-7 = 1.6E+11Hz
Figure 8. Optical Spectrum Analyzer Showing Power againt Wavelength.
Figure 7. Simulated values of the Visualizer Parameters.
48 Elechi Promise et al.: Simulated Sensitivity Improvement of Optical Receiver in Fiber Optic Network
Table 1. Variation of Power versus Q-factor and BER.
S/N Attenuation (dB/km) Receiver power (dB) Q-Factor BER(dB)
1 30 -15.96 48.60 0
2 32 -17.96 48.57 0
3 34 -19.96 48.48 0
4 36 -21.96 48.28 0
5 38 -23.96 47.73 0
6 40 -25.96 46.43 0
7 42 -27.96 43.59 0
8 44 -29.96 38.32 1.38E-321
9 46 -31.96 30.64 2.06E-206
10 48 -33.96 22.21 1.26E-106
11 50 -35.96 15.03 2.49E-51
12 52 -37.96 9.82 4.48E-23
13 54 39.96 6.33 1.19E-10
14 56 -41.96 4.04 2.64E-5
15 58 -43.96 0 1
Figure 9. Noiseless Receiver Sensitivity at 30dBm/km.
Figure 10. Optical Power at 30dBm/km.
Advances in Applied Sciences 2018; 3(4): 43-51 49
Figure 11. Graph of Attenuation against BER.
Figure 12. Graph of Attenuation and Q-Factor.
Figure 13. Attenuation versus BER and Q-Factor.
50 Elechi Promise et al.: Simulated Sensitivity Improvement of Optical Receiver in Fiber Optic Network
4. Discussions 5. Conclusion and Recommendations
The Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier is a very useful 5.1. Conclusion
amplifier for high frequency communication. It provided
better gain and noise value than other optical amplifiers. The Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier was used to design
From the analysis, a better gain of 36.778903dB and a noise the amplifier circuit. It provided better gain and a low
value of 4.14748dB were obtained at 1.55THz frequency noise value than other optical amplifier at high frequency
which show that the EDFA has a better gain and noise value region. It displayed a clear view about the gain flatness for
at High frequency regions. a pump power of 140mW. The system amplification gain
Figure 8 shows the results obtained from the optical was 36.8dB at 1550nm band of wavelength with a low
spectrum analyzer in the optisystem software. It displayed a noise of 4.14dBm.
clear view about the gain flatness for a pump power of By ensuring that the value of the Q-Factor wasn’t below 6,
140mW. The system amplification gain was 36.8dB at optical fiber length maintained at 100km with a wavelength
1550nm band of wavelength with a noise of 4.14dBm. of 1550nm, pump laser at 140mW and a gain flat filter that
The following readings were obtained. shaped out the noise the OSNR was increased from
Gain = 36.8dB 23.80414dB to 69.997825dB while the signal flow was
Noise Figure = 4.15dBm increased from -30.002175dBm to 6.7767271dBm.
Input Signal = -30.002175dBm 5.2. Recommendations
Input OSNR = 23.80414dB
Output Signal = 6.7767271dB In view of the simulations and conclusion of the research,
Output OSNR = 69.997825dB the following recommendations are to be considered for
Wavelength (m): continues improved sensitivity.
Start Wavelength = 1.54965µ (1) Maintenance should always be carried out on the
Centre wavelength = 1.55µ communication link to maintain the durability of the fiber.
Stop wavelength = 1.55035µ (2) A qualified professional should regularly carry out
Power (dBm): functionality inspection on the working condition of
Maximum range = -27.1522 the equipment.
Minimum range = -103.469 (3) The system should be operate under moderate
Resolution bandwidth temperature. High temperature could vary the
0.01000nm. operation of the detector.
Table 1 shows the variations the received power, the
quality factor, and the bit error rate and figures 9 and 10
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