Impairment Mitigation Research Articles

Low Complexity Joint Impairment Mitigation of I/Q Modulator and PA Using Neural Networks

neural networks (NNs) for multiple hardware impairments mitigation of a realistic direct conversion transmitter are impractical due to high computational complexity. We propose two methods to reduce the complexity without significant performance penalty. First, propose a novel NN with shortcut connections, referred to as shortcut real-valued time-delay neural network (SVDEN), where trainable neuron-wise shortcut connections are added between the input and output layers. Second, we implement a NN pruning algorithm that gradually removes connections corresponding to minimal weight magnitudes in each layer. Simulation and experimental results show that SVDEN with pruning achieves better performance for compensating frequency-dependent quadrature imbalance and power amplifier nonlinearity than other NN-based and Volterra-based models, while requiring less or similar complexity.

Transfer Learning for Neural Networks-Based Equalizers in Coherent Optical Systems

In this work, we address the question of the adaptability of artificial neural networks (NNs) used for impairments mitigation in optical transmission systems. We demonstrate that by using well-developed techniques based on the concept of transfer learning, we can efficaciously retrain NN-based equalizers to adapt to the changes in the transmission system, using just a fraction (down to 1%) of the initial training data or epochs. We evaluate the capability of transfer learning to adapt the NN to changes in the launch power, modulation format, symbol rate, or even fiber plants (different fiber types and lengths). The numerical examples utilize the recently introduced NN equalizer consisting of a convolutional layer coupled with bi-directional long-short term memory (biLSTM) recurrent NN element. Our analysis focuses on long-haul coherent optical transmission systems for two types of fibers: the standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) and the TrueWave Classic (TWC) fiber. We underline the specific peculiarities that occur when transferring the learning in coherent optical communication systems and draw the limits for the transfer learning efficiency. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of transfer learning for the fast adaptation of NN architectures to different transmission regimes and scenarios, paving the way for engineering flexible and universal solutions for nonlinearity mitigation.

Looped Polarization-Insensitive Fiber Optical Parametric Amplifiers for Broadband High Gain Applications

We investigate polarization insensitive fiber optical parametric amplifiers (FOPAs) employing a balanced polarization diversity loop with at least two unidirectional gain fibers. We describe and compare three variants of looped polarization insensitive FOPAs optimized for noise figure, mitigation of nonlinear impairments and their trade-off, respectively. The test scenario consists of amplifying, by up to 14 dB, a set of 21 × 50 GHz-spaced channels including a 35 GBaud PDM-QPSK signal, and evaluating a power of nonlinear crosstalk, noise figure and amplified signal BER for each variant. For the first time we demonstrate a polarization insensitive FOPA amplifying WDM signals with a noise figure as low as 5.8 dB, and a polarization insensitive FOPA with output WDM signal power of 23 dBm. The testing results let us identify likely application scenarios for each looped FOPA variant. We justify potential implementation of polarization-insensitive FOPAs in future optical communication systems by arguing its ability to deliver low noise figure <6 dB for output signal power as high as 29 dBm and to enable polarization insensitive gain for the most prominent single-polarization FOPA achievements realizing ultrawide high gain.

Beyond 4 × 100 Gbps Optical Backhaul Network With DSP Assistance Based Nonlinear Impairments Mitigation

AbstractBackhaul networking is the highlighted objective of today telecommunication structure. Additionally, the backhaul networking can be possible easily utilizing optical fiber networks (OFNs). This paper studies 4 × 100 Gbps framework of long haul capacity wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system, taking into account the impairments of nonlinearities, amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) fiber dispersion. Digital signal processing based receiver is proposed to maintain performance of OFNs in presence of nonlinear issues. The complete procedure of proposed WDM based OFNs is verified theoretically. The simulation analysis proved the validation of presented model against nonlinear impairments and provides 2.1 bit error rate (BER) at 25 and 50 GHz channel spacing, 90 μm2 effective area and 500 km transmission length.

Novel evolutionary planning technique for flexible-grid transmission in optical networks

This paper proposes a novel joint resource allocation technique for flexible-grid systems by utilizing non-dominant sort genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) in a multi-objective optimization framework. It pioneers the implementation of an evolutionary mechanism to optimize resources as means of mitigation of physical layer impairments. This investigation initially introduces a proposal in which bandwidth reduction, maximization of the minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) margin, and minimization/maximization of the sum of SNR margins are studied under dual-objective Pareto analysis in the link-level scenario. Later, the technique extends existing provisioning strategies for network planning by targeting the reduction of blocking and spectral utilization of optical connections.

Age-related compensation: Neuromusculoskeletal capacity, reserve & movement objectives

The prevention, mitigation and treatment of movement impairments, ideally, requires early diagnosis or identification. As the human movement system has physiological and functional redundancy, movement limitations do not promptly arise at the onset of physical decline. A such, prediction of movement limitations is complex: it is unclear how much decline can be tolerated before movement limitations start. Currently, the term ‘homeostatic reserve’ or ‘physiological reserve’ is used to refer to the redundancy of the human biological system, but these terms do not describe the redundancy in the muscle architecture of the human body. The result of functional redundancy is compensation. Although compensation is an early predictor of movement limitations, clear definitions are lacking and the topic is underexposed in literature. The aim of this article is to provide a definition of compensation and emphasize its importance. Compensation is defined as an alteration in the movement trajectory and/or altering muscle recruitment to complete a movement task. Compensation for capacity is the result of a lack in neuromusculoskeletal reserve, where reserve is defined as the difference between the capacity (physiological abilities of the neuromusculoskeletal system) and the task demand. Compensation for movement objectives is a result of a shift in weighting of movement objectives, reflecting changing priorities. Studying compensation in biomechanics requires altered protocols in experimental set-ups, musculoskeletal models that are not reliant on prescribed movement, and inclusion of alternative movement objectives in optimal control theory.

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing for mitigation of optical fiber channel impairments

Optical communication either in free space wireless mode or optical fiber mode is much preferred for high data transmission rate in the range of 100 GHz or few THz. Implementation of OFDM in fiber helps to simplify the dispersion compensation but nonlinearity in fiber material will become a major challenge. This Chapter is review and literature survey about the development and possibilities for OFDM in optical fiber communication systems. It presents the basic features of OFDM and its impact on the mitigation of optical fiber impairments.

Performance Evaluation of Highly Nonlinear Fiber (HNLF) Based Optical Phase Conjugation (OPC) in Long Haul Transmission of 640 Gbps 16-QAM CO-OFDM

This paper presents the quantitative measurement through an experimental test of 640 Gbps 16-QAM coherent-optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (CO-OFDM) over 800 km optical fiber with mid-link optical phase conjugation (OPC) using highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF). The first focus is the OPC parameter optimization, including the optimization of HNLF length and signal/pump power that inputs into OPC. Four different HNLFs, as the illustrative examples, are investigated. The second focus is to investigate the effects of fiber dispersion, nonlinearity, and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise on the long-haul transmission of 16-QAM CO-OFDM signal, and the OPC compensation efficiency. The performance evaluation focuses on the conversion efficiency (CE), received signal constellation, Q-factor improvement, and bit error rate (BER) at the receiver end. Such end-to-end performance evaluation is important because the 16-QAM CO-OFDM signal status is heterogeneous and the mitigation of transmission impairments to the signal is still unclear. The OPC parametric optimization is achieved experimentally using commercially available HNLFs with different scenarios and the numerical results are interpreted in conjunction with simulations.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) intranasal delivery alleviates Machado\u2013Joseph disease

Machado–Joseph disease (MJD) is the most common dominantly-inherited ataxia worldwide with no effective treatment to prevent, stop or alleviate its progression. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neuroprotective agent widely expressed in the mammalian brain. Our previous work showed that NPY overexpression mediated by stereotaxically-injected viral vectors mitigates motor deficits and neuropathology in MJD mouse models. To pursue a less invasive translational approach, we investigated whether intranasal administration of NPY would alleviate cerebellar neuropathology and motor and balance impairments in a severe MJD transgenic mouse model. For that, a NPY solution was administered into mice nostrils 5 days a week. Upon 8 weeks of treatment, we observed a mitigation of motor and balance impairments through the analysis of mice behavioral tests (rotarod, beam walking, pole and swimming tests). This was in line with a reduction of cerebellar pathology, evidenced by a preservation of cerebellar granular layer and of Purkinje cells and reduction of mutant ataxin-3 aggregate numbers. Furthermore, intranasal administration of NPY did not alter body weight gain, food intake, amount of body fat nor cholesterol or triglycerides levels. Our findings support the translational potential of intranasal infusion of NPY as a pharmacological intervention in MJD.

Advanced Convolutional Neural Networks for Nonlinearity Mitigation in Long-Haul WDM Transmission Systems

Practical implementation of digital signal processing for mitigation of transmission impairments in optical communication systems requires reduction of the complexity of the underlying algorithms. Here, we investigate the application of convolutional neural networks for compensating nonlinear signal distortions in a 3200 km fiber-optic 11x400-Gb/s WDM PDM-16QAM transmission link with a focus on the optimization of the corresponding algorithmic complexity. We propose a design that includes original initialisation of the weights of the layers by a filter predefined through the training a single-layer convolutional neural network. Furthermore, we use an enhanced activation function that takes into account nonlinear interactions between neighbouring symbols. To increase learning efficiency, we apply a layer-wise training scheme followed by joint optimization of all weights applying additional training to all of them together in the large multi-layer network. We examine application of the proposed convolutional neural network for the nonlinearity compensation using only one sample per symbol and evaluate complexity and performance of the proposed technique.

Mitigation strategies for communication networks induced impairments in autonomous microgrids control: A review

&lt;abstract&gt; &lt;p&gt;The advancement in communication technology and the availability of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) have impacted positively on the penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) into the main electricity grid. High penetration of RES also come along with greater demand for more effective control approaches, congestion management techniques, and microgrids optimal dispatch. Most of the secondary control methods of microgrid systems in the autonomous mode require communication links between the distributed generators (DGs) for sharing power information and data for control purposes. This article gives ample review on the communication induced impairments in islanded microgrids. In the review, attention is given to communication induced delay, data packet loss, and cyber-attack that degrades optimal operations of islanded microgrids. The review also considered impairments modelling, the impact of impairments on microgrids operation and management, and the control methods employed in mitigating some of their negative impacts. The paper revealed that innovative control solutions for impairment mitigation rather than the development of new high-speed communication infrastructure should be implemented for microgrid control. It was also pointed out that a sparse communication graph is the basis for communication topology design for distributed secondary control in the microgrid.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/abstract&gt;

Beyond 1.6 Tb/s Net Rate PAM Signal Transmission for Rack-Rack Optical Interconnects With Mode and Wavelength Division Multiplexing

In this article, a beyond 1.6 Tb/s net rate pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) communication system is experimentally demonstrated for 20 m rack-rack optical interconnects with low cost intensity modulation direct detection (IM-DD) architecture, which is enabled by mode division multiplexing (MDM) and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). The MDM with three linearly polarized modes is realized by a multiplane light conversion (MPLC) mode multiplexer with the maximum modal crosstalk less than - 20 dB. The experimental results show that 2.01 Tb/s (1.84 Tb/s net rate) PAM-6 signal carried on three modes and four wavelengths is successfully transmitted over 20 m standard OM2 multimode fiber (MMF) with the BERs of received signals from all channels below hard decision forward error correction (HD-FEC) threshold of 3.8 × 10-3. Look-up table (LUT) pre-distortion and Volterra nonlinear equalizer (VNLE) are employed for nonlinear impairment mitigation to improve the system performance. Compared to linear feedforward equalizer (FFE), 0.3 dB and 1 dB receiver sensitivity improvements are obtained by LUT and VNLE, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, our proposed scheme achieves the highest bit rate of 167.5 Gb/s per wavelength in MDM system with IM-DD structure. The experimental results show that our proposed PAM MDM communication scheme is a promising candidate for future 1.6 Tb/s short reach rack-rack optical interconnects.

Digital Backpropagation Based on DOPC in Fiber Impairments Mitigation

This paper presents the study on the impact of the nonlinear phase shift on the performance of optical transmission systems and its suppression using digital backpropagation (DBP) technique. The proposed DBP employed digital optical phase conjugation (DOPC) at the receiver and a virtual fiber, thereby having the combined benefits of DBP and optical phase conjugation. Optical signal propagation was achieved by solving the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) using the split-step Fourier method (SSFM). Implementation of DBP was conducted on 100-Gbps, DP-16QAM systems and it has demonstrated its efficacy in suppressing nonlinear phase shift, by improving the minimum bit error rate (BER) from 1 × 10−2 to 6.1 × 10−5.

64Gb/s PAM4 and 160Gb/s 16QAM modulation reception using a low-voltage Si-Ge waveguide-integrated APD.

We demonstrate waveguide-integrated silicon-germanium avalanche photodiodes with a maximum responsivity of 15.2 A/W at 16x avalanche gain, and 33 GHz bandwidth. Intensity-modulation-direct-detection (IMDD) and coherent channel reception test demonstrated the APD's performance with higher-order formats, allowing 32 Gbaud PAM-4 and 40 Gbaud 16QAM channel reception without any digital signal processing conventionally used for receiver impairments mitigation.

Simpler Than FRESH Filter: A Parametric Approach for Cyclostationary Noise Generation in NB-PLC

A key challenge in narrowband power line communications (NB-PLC) is the mitigation of impairments introduced by the correlated cyclostationary noise. The frequency-shift (FRESH) filtering approach has been recently proposed to reproduce a cyclostationary NB-PLC noise with characteristics similar to those obtained from field measurements. In this letter, we use a classification of the noise generated by the FRESH filter into three classes to propose a simple method to produce noise samples with statistics similar to those obtained at its output. The approach consists of parametrized spectral and temporal shapings applied to a white Gaussian noise sequence. We validate our proposed method by comparing its generated noise samples with those obtained using the FRESH filter and using measurements in terms of: i) normalized mean-squared error between the cyclic auto-correlations; ii) bit error rate.

Flexible coherent UDWDM-PON with dynamic user allocation based on limited-tunability lasers

Coherent wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technologies have leveraged the optical communication systems in core networks, increasing the fiber capacity by transmission with advanced modulation formats and mitigation of impairments with digital signal processing. However, these solutions are too expensive for access networks, where cost, power budget, and footprint are limited. Hence, the key technology will be developing low-cost coherent transceivers providing an excellent selectivity and giving high sensitivity, which allows high splitting ratios. This paper reports an experimental design of a low-cost coherent ultra-dense WDM passive optical network (UDWDM-PON) with 6.25 GHz channel spacing. The users’ optical network unit (ONU) is built employing coherent transceivers with two paired low-cost distributed feedback (DFB) lasers, one as the local oscillator and another as the transmitter, offering simplicity and low-cost hardware; likewise, the optical line terminal (OLT) at the central office can profit from the same design. The ONU DFB lasers have wavelengths with limited thermal tunability, controlled by a thermo-electric cooler, which is used to allocate the wavelengths. A medium access control (MAC) at the OLT manages the spectrum channel allocation for ONUs, demanding connection when activation is requested: the OLT furnishes an optical carrier wavelength for the ONU to obtain connection by a control algorithm, assigning a down-channel and another paired up-channel assigned to the ONU DFB transmitter. The MAC can reassign the channels because of interference or collision in a dynamic wavelength allocation. Measures in an activation process and in channel reassignment have been performed in environmental conditions, including control signals and the physical parameters of DFB lasers, demonstrating the practical viability of the PON scaling from 32 up to 256 wavelength channels.

Fiber impairments mitigation in OFDM based cognitive optical networks

An adaptive impairments assessment is necessary to evaluate the impact of various linear and nonlinear effects in future generation cognitive optical transport links. In this paper, an Adaptive Fiber Impairment Mitigation (AFIM) algorithm is proposed to identify a suitable mitigation scheme for the cognitive environment. The AFIM algorithm will assess fiber impairments and adaptively select a suitable mitigation scheme with minimum complexity based on the present network conditions and user performance target. The performance of AFIM algorithm is compared with Fixed Fiber Impairment Mitigation approach in terms of outage probability and outage capacity analysis. An Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing based Mode Division Multiplexing system with Few Mode Fiber (FMF) is suggested as a solution to increase the nonlinearity threshold limit of the system. The $$\hbox {L}_2$$ -by-3 nonlinear transform based Peak to Average Power Ratio reduction technique is implemented to mitigate fiber nonlinear effects in FMF based backbone and backhaul links. The performance analysis of the FMF system has been evaluated and compared with that of Single Mode Fiber system. The proposed analytical model and mitigation schemes are integrated with the AFIM algorithm to realize the cognitive optical network. Further, the result shows that AFIM algorithm enhances the system capacity by more than 6-folds at an outage probability of 0.5 and reduces the outage probability to 0.6 at the capacity range of 20 Gbps.

Mental Rotation of Digitally-Rendered Haptic Objects by the Visually-Impaired.

In the event of visual impairment or blindness, information from other intact senses can be used as substitutes to retrain (and in extremis replace) visual functions. Abilities including reading, mental representation of objects and spatial navigation can be performed using tactile information. Current technologies can convey a restricted library of stimuli, either because they depend on real objects or renderings with low resolution layouts. Digital haptic technologies can overcome such limitations. The applicability of this technology was previously demonstrated in sighted participants. Here, we reasoned that visually-impaired and blind participants can create mental representations of letters presented haptically in normal and mirror-reversed form without the use of any visual information, and mentally manipulate such representations. Visually-impaired and blind volunteers were blindfolded and trained on the haptic tablet with two letters (either L and P or F and G). During testing, they haptically explored on any trial one of the four letters presented at 0°, 90°, 180°, or 270° rotation from upright and indicated if the letter was either in a normal or mirror-reversed form. Rotation angle impacted performance; greater deviation from 0° resulted in greater impairment for trained and untrained normal letters, consistent with mental rotation of these haptically-rendered objects. Performance was also generally less accurate with mirror-reversed stimuli, which was not affected by rotation angle. Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, the suitability of a digital haptic technology in the blind and visually-impaired. Classic devices remain limited in their accessibility and in the flexibility of their applications. We show that mental representations can be generated and manipulated using digital haptic technology. This technology may thus offer an innovative solution to the mitigation of impairments in the visually-impaired, and to the training of skills dependent on mental representations and their spatial manipulation.

Coherent Ultra-Dense WDM-PON Enabled by Complexity-Reduced Digital Transceivers

Coherent technologies, along with digital signal processing (DSP), have revolutionized optical communication systems, significantly increasing the capacity of the fiber channel owing to transmission of advanced modulation formats and mitigation of propagation impairments. However, commercial solutions for high-capacity core networks are too complex and costly, and therefore hardly feasible, for access networks with high terminal density, where cost, power budget, and footprint are the main limiting factors. This article analyzes the key enabling techniques to implement a complexity-reduced coherent transceiver (CoTRX) by exploiting photonic integration, simplified optical modulation, low-cost DFB lasers, consumer electronics, and low-complexity DSP. Bulk optical modulators are replaced by direct amplitude-and-phase modulation of an integrated electro-absorption modulated laser (EML) with a smaller footprint, generating up to 8-ary modulation formats. Hardware-efficient DSP algorithms for the coherent transmitter and receiver, including pulse-shaping for direct phase modulation, differential detection for optical phase recovery, and digital pre-emphasis with enhanced tolerance to quantization noise, are investigated to face the challenges imposed by low-cost photonic and electronic devices, such as strong phase noise, wavelength drifts, severe bandwidth limitation, and low resolution data converters. Through numerical simulations and real-time experiments, the results indicate that this new class of CoTRX enables effective implementation of wavelength-to-the-user PON with dedicated 1.25–20 Gb/s per user, in an ultra-dense 6.25–25 GHz spaced WDM optical grid, with >30 dB loss budget, outperforming the current competing technologies for access networks.

Transmission Impairment Mitigation for Single-Sideband Signals by Optical Phase Conjugation

We experimentally demonstrate an optical phase conjugation (OPC) enhanced transmission system based on the Kramers–Kronig direct detection scheme. The single-sideband signal is modulated at 80-Gb/s 16-QAM with orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing. In the 180-km transmission experiment, the OPC surpasses digital chromatic dispersion compensation in Q factor, optimum launched optical power (LOP) and optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) sensitivity. The improvement in Q factor, optimum LOP and OSNR sensitivity are 0.9 dB, 1.0 dB, and 1.7 dB respectively. The superiority of OPC over pure optical dispersion compensation is also analyzed by simulation. The results indicate that the OPC is an effective means to enhance the transmission performance of single-sideband signals.