Abstract
We propose a method with high spatial resolution to detect fiber faults in a time-division multiplexing passive optical network (TDM-PON). A semiconductor laser serving as the probe light source is subjected to self-feedback caused by reflection at fiber faults. The feedback will induce the laser to generate chaos. Autocorrelation of the output time series shows the external cavity signature and, therefore, indicates the distance between the laser and the fiber fault. Each branch is identified by the marker that is formed by the inserted fiber Bragg grating (FBG) providing the feedback in each branch, and the faulty branch can be distinguished by the marker that has disappeared. Our proof-of-concept experiment demonstrates the identification of the faulty branch and the location of the fault point in an optical network simultaneously. This is achieved with a 6-km feeder fiber and realizes the 8-mm spatial resolution.
Highlights
The time-division multiplexed-passive optical network (TDM-PON) has been massively deployed in recent years since its point-to-multipoint network architecture has the best cost to performance ratio with high serial data-rate and a large capacity of transmission
We present a method with high spatial resolution for TDM-PON monitoring, utilizing a chaotic laser subject to optical feedback
The fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in each branch provide the optical feedback to the laser, which becomes a chaos generation system with multi-feedback
Summary
The time-division multiplexed-passive optical network (TDM-PON) has been massively deployed in recent years since its point-to-multipoint network architecture has the best cost to performance ratio with high serial data-rate and a large capacity of transmission. In the TDM-PON, the optical light transmitted from the central office is distributed to each branch by a power splitter. The monitoring signal in each branch is the same and so cannot be distinguished. Growing attention has been given to devising a monitoring technique which will uniquely identify any faulty branch. The most direct approach is to actively select each branch fiber to examine at the splitter [4]–[11] or optical network units' (ONUs) area [12]–[17]
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