Channel model for the dual-polarization b-modulated nonlinear frequency-division multiplexing optical transmission systems

Abstract

We consider optical transmission systems based on the nonlinear frequency division multiplexing (NFDM) concept, i.e., the systems employing the nonlinear Fourier transform (NFT) for signal processing and data modulation. Our work specifically addresses the double-polarization (DP) NFDM setup that utilizes the so-called b-modulation, the most efficient NFDM method proposed up-to-date. We extend the previously-developed analytical approach based on the adiabatic perturbation theory for the continuous nonlinear Fourier spectrum (b-coefficient) onto the DP case to obtain the leading order of continuous input-output signal relation, i.e., the asymptotic channel model, for an arbitrary b-modulated DP-NFDM optical communication system. Our main result is in deriving the relatively simple analytical expressions for the power spectral density of the components of effective conditionally Gaussian input-dependent noise emerging inside the nonlinear Fourier domain. We also demonstrate that our analytical expressions are in remarkable agreement with direct numerical results if one extracts the “processing noise” arising due to the imprecision of numerical NFT operations.