OptiSystem

Getting Started

Optical Communication System Design Software

Version 3.0

for Windows® 2000/XP

OptiSystem

Getting Started

Optical Communication System Design Software

Copyright © 2003 Optiwave Corporation

All rights reserved.

All OptiSystem documents, including this one, and the information contained therein, is copyright material.

No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever, including recording, photocopying, or faxing, without prior written approval of Optiwave Corporation.

Disclaimer

Optiwave Corporation makes no representation or warranty with respect to the adequacy of this documentation or the programs which it describes for any particular purpose or with respect to its adequacy to produce any particular result. In no event shall Optiwave Corporation, its employees, its contractors or the authors of this documentation be liable for special, direct, indirect or consequential damages, losses, costs, charges, claims, demands, or claim for lost profits, fees or expenses of any nature or kind.

9/29/03

Technical support

If you purchased Optiwave software from a distributor that is not listed here, please send technical questions to your distributor.

Optiwave Corporation

Tel(613) 224-4700Fax

(613) 224-4706

Cybernet Systems Co., Ltd.

Tel+81 (03) 5978-5414Fax

+81 (03) 5978-6082

Light Tec

Tel+33 494 12 18 48Fax

+33 494 12 18 49

Canada/US

E-mailsupport@optiwave.comURL

www.optiwave.com

Japan

E-mailowtech@cybernet.co.jpURL

www.cybernet.co.jp

Europe

E-mailsupport@lighttec.frURL

www.lighttec.fr

Table of contents

Installing OptiSystem.................................................................................................1

Hardware and software requirements...................................................................................1Protection key..........................................................................................................................1OptiSystem directory..............................................................................................................2Installation...............................................................................................................................2

Windows 2000/XP installation....................................................................................2

Technical support...................................................................................................................2

What’s New in OptiSystem 3.0...................................................................................3

Component library..................................................................................................................3

Optical transmitters....................................................................................................3Optical sources..........................................................................................................3Optical Modulators.....................................................................................................3Optical Pulse Generators...........................................................................................3Multiplexers................................................................................................................4Optical Fibers.............................................................................................................4Optical Amplifiers.......................................................................................................4Electrical Amplifiers....................................................................................................6Polarization Devices...................................................................................................6Electrical Regenerators..............................................................................................6Optical Signal Processing..........................................................................................6Binary Signal Processing...........................................................................................6Tools library................................................................................................................6Matlab library..............................................................................................................7

Visualizers..................................................................................................................7EDA Cosimulation library...........................................................................................7

Signal Tracing..........................................................................................................................7Plug-in Optimizations.............................................................................................................7Project Browser.......................................................................................................................8Report Page.............................................................................................................................8

Key features...............................................................................................................8Report components....................................................................................................9

Script Page...............................................................................................................................9Plug-in Calculation Schedulers...........................................................................................10Bill Of Materials.....................................................................................................................10Application and Validation Projects....................................................................................10

New Projects............................................................................................................10Improved Projects....................................................................................................11

Features introduced in OptiSystem 2.2..................................................................13

Component Library Components........................................................................................13

Electrical Modulators................................................................................................13Electrical Pulse Generators......................................................................................13Electrical Demodulators...........................................................................................13M-ary Sequence Generators....................................................................................13M-ary Sequence Decoders......................................................................................13Visualizers................................................................................................................13Optical Modulators...................................................................................................13Electrical Signal Processing Library.........................................................................13Optical Signal Processing Library............................................................................13EDA Cosimulation Library (improvements)..............................................................14Optiwave Software Tools (improvements)...............................................................14

Introduction...............................................................................................................15

Benefits..................................................................................................................................16Applications...........................................................................................................................16Main features.........................................................................................................................17

Quick Start.................................................................................................................19

Starting OptiSystem..............................................................................................................19Main parts of the GUI............................................................................................................20

Project layout...........................................................................................................20Dockers....................................................................................................................21Status Bar................................................................................................................22Loading a sample file...............................................................................................23Running a simulation................................................................................................24Saving the simulation results...................................................................................26Displaying results from a visualizer..........................................................................27

Component parameters........................................................................................................28

Viewing and editing component parameters............................................................28Editing parameters...................................................................................................30Editing visualizer parameters...................................................................................32

Global parameters.................................................................................................................34

Editing global parameters........................................................................................35Using the Layout Editor............................................................................................37Connecting components manually...........................................................................39Saving the design and closing OptiSystem..............................................................41

Appendix A: Global Parameters..............................................................................43

Simulation parameters..........................................................................................................44

Simulation window...................................................................................................44Reference bit rate.....................................................................................................45Bit rate......................................................................................................................45Time window............................................................................................................46Sample rate..............................................................................................................46Sequence length......................................................................................................47Samples per bit........................................................................................................47Number of samples..................................................................................................47Iterations..................................................................................................................48

Signals parameters...............................................................................................................49

Parameterized..........................................................................................................49

Noise parameters..................................................................................................................50

Convert noise bins...................................................................................................50

Signal representation............................................................................................................51

Binary signals...........................................................................................................52Electrical signals......................................................................................................52Optical signals..........................................................................................................54Opening the global parameters dialog.....................................................................59Editing global parameters........................................................................................59

Installing OptiSystem

Before installing OptiSystem, ensure the system requirements described below are available.

Hardware and software requirements

OptiSystem requires the following system configuration:• PC with Pentium 3 processor or equivalent•••••

Microsoft Windows 2000, or Windows XP

1024 x 768 graphic resolution, minimum 256 colors128 MB of RAM (recommended)Internet Explorer 5.5DirectX 8.1

• 400 MB free hard disk space

Protection key

A hardware protection key is supplied with the software. To ensure that OptiSystem operates properly, verify the following:••

The protection key is properly connected to the parallel port of the computer.If you use more than one protection key, ensure that there is no conflict between the OptiSystem protection key and the other keys.

Note: Use a switch box to prevent protection key conflicts. Ensure that the cable between the switch box and the computer is a maximum of one meter long.

1

INSTALLING OPTISYSTEM

OptiSystem directory

By default, the OptiSystem installer creates an OptiSystem directory on your hard disk. The OptiSystem directory contains the following subdirectories:•••••

\\bin—executable files, dynamic linked libraries, and help files\\doc—OptiSystem support documentation\\libraries—OptiSystem component libraries\\samples—OptiSystem example files\oolbox—MatLab related files

Installation

OptiSystem can be installed on Windows 2000/XP. We recommend that you exit all Windows programs before running the setup program.

Windows 2000/XP installation

To install OptiSystem on Windows 2000/XP, perform the following procedure.Step123456

Action

Log on as the Administrator, or log onto an account with Administrator privileges.

Insert the OptiSystem CD into your CD ROM drive.On the Taskbar, click Start and select Run.The Run dialog box appears.

In the Run dialog box, type F:\\setup.exe, where F is your CD ROM drive.Click OK and follow the screen instructions and prompts.When the installation is complete, reboot your computer.

Technical support

PhoneFaxE-MailURL

(613) 224-4700—Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time(613) 224-4706support@optiwave.comwww.optiwave.com

2

What’s New in OptiSystem 3.0

OptiSystem 3.0 reflects the strong relationship between Optiwave Corporation and our customers. The new software features all the needs of optical systems designers and component makers. There are almost 300 components available in the new library, combined with an improved the state-of-the-art graphical user interface, script language, bill of materials, and a new report page.

Component library

Optical transmitters

New WDM transmitter component: encapsulates different components, allowing you to select different modulation formats and schemes for multiple channels in a single component. It is a transmitter array that allows for different modulation types and schemes.

Optical sources

New CW laser array ES component: an array of CW lasers. The emission frequencies are equally spaced (ES), allowing for easy setup of WDM systems.Laser Rate equations and Laser Measured: Additional parameters that determine whether the input driver current will be normalized or not, allowing you to control the input current externally or use the internal settings.

Optical Modulators

Dual Drive, Single Drive, Dual Port Dual Drive Mach-Zehnder Modulator

Measured and Electroabsorption Modulator Measured: additional parameters that determine whether the input voltage will be normalized or not, allowing you to control the input voltage externally or use the internal settings.

Optical Pulse Generators

New TRC Measurement Data component: loads Time Resolved Chirp data from measurement files. It can be used as an interface between OptiSystem and time resolve chirp (TRC) measurement instruments, such as the OSA Agilent 86146B with TRC option.

3

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

Multiplexers

New WDM Mux and Demux ES components: demultiplexes a user-defined number of WDM signal channels. The center frequencies of the internal filters are equally spaced (ES), allowing for easy setup of WDM systems.

Optical Fibers

Improved Optical Fiber component: total field approach together with new effects and new numerical engines: •

Raman scattering models—The most comprehensive vectorial Raman model available in literature. Two different levels of approximation in the calculation of the scalar and vector Raman scattering models.

Polarization mode dispersion—The most advanced solver available in literature: The \"course-step method\" with variable scattering section lengths, and Gaussian distribution of the fiber trunk lengths.Self-steepening effect

Iterative procedure for calculation of nonlinear propagator with enhanced accuracy: two forms of implementation of the nonlinear propagator—

\"exponential\" and \"Runge-Kutta 4th (2th) order\". The second enables vectorial stimulated Raman scattering calculations. You can define frequency (the

dispersion effects are specified in terms of the frequency derivatives of the wave vector) or wavelength (the dispersion effects are specified in terms of GVD and slope parameters) domain of presentation of the dispersion effects. This feature is very important in the analysis of soliton effects.

Dispersion fitting according to the Sellmeier formula, which allows the correct usage of the user's supplied (even noisy) data for either the dispersion or the group delay.

•

••

•

Linear Multimode Fiber: new cutback factor to take into account the mode coupling, mixing, and concatenation effects.

Optical Amplifiers

New Erbium Ytterbium co doped waveguide amplifier: allows for the design and simulation of waveguide amplifiers with arbitrary spatial refractive index and doping profiles:••••••••

Allows for the calculation of the gain and noise characteristics of the high-concentration Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped glass waveguide amplifiersConsiders pump excited-state absorption

Considers multimode operation for the pump and signalsHomogeneous upconversion (HUC) from 4I13/2 e 4I11/2 levelsPair-induced quenching—PIQ

Nine energy levels considering double-clad fiber design

Spectral and longitudinal 3D graphs with forward and backward ASE, signals, and pump powerInternal mode solver

4

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

Erbium doped fiber and amplifier component: OptiAmplifier algorithms were improved and redesigned—the new effects and calculation engines are included in OptiSystem:•••••••••••

Qualitative analyses of inhomogeneous broadening, with possibility to generate homogeneous cross-sections

Excited-state absorption impact on the EDFA performance

Ion-ion interaction effects, including Homogeneous Upconversion (HUC), Pair-induced quenching (PIQ) and HUC and PIQ combinedRayleigh backscattering and double Rayleigh scatteringTemperature dependence of the gain

Includes 5 different possibilities to calculate the integral overlappingIncludes the power dependence in the integral overlapping calculationPotential to load cross-sections and Giles parameters

Potential to use different models to represent an EDFA: Saleh model, Jopson model, and Giles model

Wavelength dependent losses and backscattering effects

Spectral and longitudinal 3D graphs with forward and backward ASE, signals and pump power

Erbium doped fiber dynamic components: internal routines were modified to improve accuracy. In the Analytical model, the option to use the saturation parameter is included.

Erbium Ytterbium doped fiber amplifier: OptiAmplifier algorithms were improved and redesigned—the new effects and calculation engines are included in OptiSystem:•••••

Five-level model rate equations

Homogeneous model for ion concentration dependenceWavelength dependent losses

Analytical and numerical solver for wider range of pump wavelength

Spectral and longitudinal 3D graphs with forward and backward ASE, signals, and pump power

Static Raman fiber model: average power approach is 100 times faster than classical methods. Includes Rayleigh scattering, temperature dependence, and chromatic dispersion effects, and spectral and longitudinal 3D graphs with forward and backward noise, signals, and pump power.

Dynamic Raman fiber model: allows the analysis of power transients in Raman amplifiers. Works with counter-propagating, co-propagating, and bidirectional pumping. Allows the transient analysis of cascades of Raman amplifiers.

5

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

Electrical Amplifiers

Improved Limiting Amplifier: electrical limiting amplifier. The minimum and maximum output signal values are user-defined parameters.

New AGC Amplifier component: an electrical amplifier with user defined noise figure and automatic gain control (AGC).

Polarization Devices

New PMD Emulator component: allows deterministic simulation of the first and second order PMD in fibers, including chromatic dispersion and attenuation effects.

Electrical Regenerators

Data Recovery component: recovers the binary data from the electrical signal. It can be used in 3R generators for the data recovery stage. Additional parameters allow for automatic recovery of time delay (clock), decision instant, and threshold.New 3R Regenerator component: regenerates an electrical signal. It returns the original electrical and binary signal, and it has automatic recovery of time delay (clock), decision instant, and threshold.

Optical Signal Processing

New Convert To Parameterized component: converts sampled signals and noise bins into parameterized signals. You select the type of signals to be converted.New Convert To Noise Bins component: converts sampled signals and

parameterized signals into noise bins. You select the type of signals to be converted.

Binary Signal Processing

New Duobinary Pre-coder component: can be used to avoid recursive decoding in the receiver when a duobinary modulation format is required.

Tools library

New Limiter component: can be used as a ring controller module. This component controls the number of signals passing from the input to the output port.

New Initializer component: a select switch. The signal entering the first input port will be send to the output a user-defined number of times.

New Electrical Ring component: allows you to build systems using ring structures with electrical signals.

New Command Line Application component: can create a process with user-defined command line parameters, and can be used to call any windows application.

6

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

Matlab library

MATLAB Component: Most of the routines of the MATLAB components were modified to allow the Matlab components to work in different versions of MATLAB, in addition to the new features imported from OptiAmplifier:••

A new parameter allows you to keep the MATLAB open after the simulation is finished, and to use the MATLAB in debug mode.

A new field was included in the optical signal structure. The field Channels provides OptiSystem and the user an easier way to identify wavelength the channels are in.

Error handling—if any error is found in the running of the MATLAB files, the OptiSystem will display the number of the line where the problem was found and a description of the problem.

•

Visualizers

BER Analyzer Visualizer: additional parameters allow you to load threshold levels from measurements and control the calculation time window.

WDM Analyzer Visualizer: additional parameters allow you to control the calculation time window.

EDA Cosimulation library

New Load Spice CSDF File component: can load Common Simulation Data Format (CSDF) files from EDA tools that can export PROBE results into CSDF file format. The .csd files are signal data files exported from circuit simulators such as PSpice.

New Save Spice Stimulus File component: can save ASCII files in a user-defined format. By default, the file has the PSpice Stimulus data format .stl. The .stl files are signal data files used in PSpice. They contain time-domain waveform data, based on a piece-wise linear algorithm, for defining the signals associated with certain sources and nodes.

Signal Tracing

Improved signal tracing algorithm: much faster simulation when using large time windows, allowing for fast power budget calculations during EDFA and Raman amplifier design using dynamic models.

Plug-in Optimizations

The new architecture allows for pluggable optimizations. This architecture will allow future calculation algorithms to be added effortlessly. The UI structure allows you to view the progress of the calculation and follow the progress of the active optimization. Optiwave provides two default optimizations with OptiSystem:

NEW Multiple Parameters Multiple Result Optimizations: allows for optimization of a set of parameters targeting a set of results, with or without constraints. Allows for

7

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

Minimization, Maximization, Goal Attaining, Gain Flattening, and LSQ optimizations. Based on industry standard MATLAB optimization engines. Some of the applications are:•••

Flattening the gain of broadband Raman amplifier

Optimizing the pump powers and frequencies of Raman amplifierOptimizing the EDFA gain for WDM Lightwave systems

Single Parameter Single Result Optimization: improved functionality and numerical engines allows for Goal Attaining, Minimization, and Maximization of results.

Project Browser

The project browser has been redesigned and optimized for maximum ease of use for the user. Main features include:

New customized tree control: an accurate and full view of the system being designed in an easy-to-read tree form.

Search Engine: engine for the searching of any object in the design with the following possible categories: Layout, Component Name, Component Type, Parameter, Result, Port, Graph, Optimization, Path, By Phrase Word, or Word Combinations.

Sorting of Layout information: sort order—Layout Order or Name, SortType-Ascending or Descending.

Second column for user selected data: components—Cost and Type, Layout—Size, Current Iteration, Number of Components, and Total Cost, Subsystem—Number Of Components, Size, and Cost.

Display filters: filtering by Component, Graph, Parameter, Results, Paths, and Layouts.

Report Page

The report page has replaced the result grid and the Graph tabs with a new fully customizable report designer and data sheet.

Key features

Customization: layout can be any combination of 2D Graphs, 3D Graphs, Grid Controls and Text Fields. Custom associations can be created between dragged data and the control that should display it.

Dynamic update after simulation: all data entered into the UI elements above will be updated dynamically based on the incoming simulation data.

Templates (pre-formatted layouts): loading and saving of user-defined templates and default templates.

8

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

Full Printing and Print Preview functionality: Foreground Color Selection, Background Color Selection, Report Color, Font Types, Layout Sizes in standard Printer Options, and Report Page Names.

Multiple page reports: you can add any number of additional pages to the report.Editing and viewing standard features: Zooming, Load, Save, and Print.HTML export: Exporting to HTML for Web display of data and presentations.Project Browser integration: Drag and drop function in Project Browser allows for simple creation of reports.

Report components

2D Graph control: drag any graph from the Project Browser to the control to create single iteration and multiple iteration graphs. Standard analysis tools for the graph including markers, tracers, difference tracers, and zooming. User can drag paths to the control for a view of signal data as it passes through the system.

3D Graph control: drag any graph from the Project Browser to the control to create single iteration and multiple iteration graphs. Standard analysis tools for the graph including markers, tracers, difference tracers, and zooming.

Grid control: drag and drop any form of data. Includes Graphs - automatic

generation of a table of data points, and Results - automatic generation of a table of values of results through sweeps.

Rich Text control: allows you to create custom labels or long texts.

Script Page

The new script tab allows you to write script using the VB Script Language to

manipulate and control OptiSystem, including calculations, layout creation, and post processing.

COM technology: automation of system recognized COM Components including Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and any other application that supports COM or ActiveX Technology. allowing for possible data export and analysis by other applications.

Standardization: full Microsoft VB Script compatibility.

Automatic script generation: creates a script from the current layout, which can then be manipulated to automate a sequence of calculations.Script editor: Undo/Load/Save/Copy/Paste Scripts.

Full automation of OptiSystem: automation of layout design, automation of calculations, and automation of result gathering.

Optimizations: ability to design custom optimizations by writing scripts that can optimize parameters and results.

9

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

Plug-in Calculation Schedulers

The new architecture allows for pluggable calculation schedulers. This architecture will allow future calculation algorithms to be added effortlessly. The UI structure allows the user to view the progress of the calculation and follow the progress of the active calculation scheduler.

Bill Of Materials

Provides a cost analysis of the system being designed in a table, arranged by system, layout, or component. This data can be exported to another application or spreadsheet.

Application and Validation Projects

Between new and improved projects, more than 45 additional applications and validation projects were added to the OptiSystem documentation and sample files:

New Projects

Optical transmitters: LED Modulation response, Laser L-I curve, Semiconductor Laser Modulation response, Semiconductor Laser Large Signal Modulation.Modulators: chirp in Mach-Zehnder Lithium Niobate Modulators.

New Optical Fiber Model: Polarization mode dispersion, SPM induced spectral broadening, Combined effects of GVD and SPM: Modulation instability, Cross-phase modulation effect, Four-wave mixing effect, Raman amplification (scalar and vectorial).

New PMD emulator component: Effects of PMD on pulse propagation.

New EDFA component: Gain and noise characteristics of EDFA, Excited state absorption impact on the EDFA performance, Ion-ion interaction effects, Rayleigh backscattering in EDFA, Inhomogeneous broadening, Temperature dependence of the gain, Transients in EDFA.

New Raman average power model, steady state and dynamic models: Raman threshold calculation, 100 nm bandwidth flatten - gain Raman amplifier - Average power model, Raman amplifier - Steady state model, Raman amplifier - Dynamic model, Gain in Raman Fiber Amplifiers, Flattening the gain of broad band Raman amplifier, Optimizing the pump powers and frequencies of Raman amplifier.New waveguide amplifier model: Improved gain characteristics in high-concentration Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped glass waveguide amplifiers.

Dispersion compensation and Cosimulation with OptiGrating: Compensation of dispersion - Ideal dispersion compensation, Compensation of dispersion - Fiber Bragg Grating, Compensation of dispersion with OptiGrating.

Soliton effects: Birefringence and solitons, Soliton interactions, Decay of higher order solitons in the presence of the third-order of dispersion, Decay of higher order

10

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

solitons in the presence of intrapulse Raman scattering, Decay of higher order solitons in the presence of self-steepening.

Multi-parameter optimization Engines: Extracting the thermal noise parameter for specific receiver sensitivity, Optimizing the EDFA gain for WDM lightwave systems.Matlab component: Amplitude modulator, Designing a Visualizer using the Matlab Component.

Improved Projects

System modeling: Dispersion compensation schemes-a system perspective,

Comparison of RZ and NRZ modulation formats for 16/32 channels, WDM 40 Gb/s transmission systems, Engineering the fiber nonlinearities and dispersion.

Optically \"transparent\" networks: Power level management in optical metro networks, Migrating to 10 GBs in Metro Networks, Negative Dispersion Fiber for Metro Networks, Interchannel Crosstalk in Metro Networks, WDM Ring-Wavelength Independent Subscriber Equipment.

11

WHAT’S NEW IN OPTISYSTEM 3.0

Notes:

12

FEATURES INTRODUCED IN OPTISYSTEM 2.2

Features introduced in OptiSystem 2.2

Component Library Components

Electrical Modulators

•

Electrical AM, FM, PM, PAM, QAM, PSK, DPSK, FSK, CPFSK, OQPSK, MSK, and Quadrature modulators

Electrical Pulse Generators

••

Electrical PAM, QAM, PSK, DPSK, OQPSK and MSK pulse generatorsM-ary Pulse Generator

Electrical Demodulators

•

Electrical AM, PM, FM and Quadrature demodulators

M-ary Sequence Generators

•

PAM, QAM, PSK and DPSK sequence generators

M-ary Sequence Decoders

••

PAM, QAM, PSK and DPSK sequence generatorsM-ary Threshold Detector

Visualizers

•••

Electrical Power Meter (EPMV): measures power and noise from the electrical signals, results can be exported to be used in graph builder

Electrical Carrier Analyzer (ECAN): advanced analysis in CATV systems. Over 40 results for signal, noise, SNR at different frequencies.

Electrical Constellation Visualizer: displays In-Phase and Quadrature-Phase signals, unique electrical signal representation in OptiSystem allows the user to visualize signal, noise or both.

Optical Modulators

•

LiNb Mach-Zehnder Modulator: based on measurements, including frequency response effects.

Electrical Signal Processing Library

•

Differentiator, Integrator, Limiter: based on measurements, including frequency response effects.

Optical Signal Processing Library

•

Merge Optical Signal Bands: convert separated channels to total field.

13

FEATURES INTRODUCED IN OPTISYSTEM 2.2

EDA Cosimulation Library (improvements)

•

Load and Save ADS File: Additional file formats supported: TIM MDIF, Generic MDIF and Tab-delimited ASCII.

Optiwave Software Tools (improvements)

•

OptiBPM Component: Central wavelength approximation can be used, and one additional file format is now supported: amplitude and phase.

14

Introduction

Optical communication systems are increasing in complexity on an almost daily basis. The design and analysis of these systems, which normally include nonlinear devices and non-Gaussian noise sources, are highly complex and extremely time-intensive. As a result, these tasks can now only be performed efficiently and effectively with the help of advanced new software tools.

OptiSystem is an innovative optical communication system simulation package that designs, tests, and optimizes virtually any type of optical link in the physical layer of a broad spectrum of optical networks, from analog video broadcasting systems to intercontinental backbones. OptiSystem is a stand-alone product that does not rely on other simulation frameworks. It is a system level simulator based on the realistic modeling of fiber-optic communication systems. It possesses a powerful new

simulation environment and a truly hierarchical definition of components and systems. Its capabilities can be extended easily with the addition of user components, and can be seamlessly interfaced to a wide range of tools.

A comprehensive Graphical User Interface (GUI) controls the optical component layout and netlist, component models, and presentation graphics (see Figure 1 on page 19). The extensive library of active and passive components includes realistic, wavelength-dependent parameters. Parameter sweeps allow you to investigate the effect of particular device specifications on system performance. Created to address the needs of research scientists, optical telecom engineers, system integrators, students, and a wide variety of other users, OptiSystem satisfies the demand of the booming photonics market for a powerful and easy-to-use optical system design tool.

15

INTRODUCTION

Benefits

•••••••

Rapid, low-cost prototyping

Global insight into system performance

Straightforward access to extensive sets of system characterization dataAutomatic parameter scanning and optimization

Assessment of parameter sensitivities aiding design tolerance specificationsDramatic reduction of investment risk and time-to-market

Visual representation of design options and scenarios to present to prospective customers

Applications

OptiSystem allows for the design automation of virtually any type of optical link in the physical layer, and the analysis of a broad spectrum of optical networks, from long-haul systems to MANs and LANs.

OptiSystem’s wide range of applications include:•••••••

Optical communication system design from component to system level at the physical layer

CATV or TDM/WDM network designSONET/SDH ring design

Transmitter, channel, amplifier, and receiver designDispersion map design

Estimation of BER and system penalties with different receiver modelsAmplified system BER and link budget calculations

16

INTRODUCTION

Main features

The main features of the OptiSystem interface include:

Component Library

Measured componentsIntegration with Optiwave Software ToolsMixed signal representation

Quality and performance algorithms

Advanced visualization tools

Data monitors

Hierarchical simulation with subsystems

User-defined components

To be fully effective, component modules must be able to reproduce the actual behavior of the real device and specified effects according to the selected accuracy and efficiency. The OptiSystem Component Library includes more than 200 modules, all of which have been carefully tested in order to deliver results that are comparable with real life applications.

The OptiSystem Component Library enables you to enter parameters that can be measured from real devices.OptiSystem allows you to employ specific Optiwave software tools for integrated and fiber optics at the component level: OptiAmplifier, IFO_Gratings, WDM_Phasar, and OptiFiber.OptiSystem handles mixed signal formats for optical and electrical signals in the Component Library. OptiSystem calculates the signals using the appropriate algorithms related to the required simulation accuracy and efficiency.In order to predict the system performance, OptiSystem calculates parameters such as BER and Q-Factor using numerical analysis or semi-analytical techniques for systems limited by inter symbol interference and noise.

Advanced visualization tools produce OSA Spectra,

Oscilloscope, and Eye diagrams. Also included are WDM analysis tools listing signal power, gain, noise figure, and OSNR.

You can select component ports to save the data and attach monitors after the simulation ends. This allows you to

process data after the simulation without recalculating. You can attach an arbitrary number of visualizers to the monitor at the same port.

To make a simulation tool flexible and efficient, it is essential that it provide models at different abstraction levels,

including the system, subsystem, and component levels. OptiSystem features a truly hierarchical definition of

components and systems, enabling you to employ specific software tools for integrated and fiber optics at the component level, and allowing the simulation to be as detailed as the desired accuracy dictates.

You can incorporate new components based on subsystems and user-defined libraries, or utilize co-simulation with a third party tool such as Matlab.

17

INTRODUCTION

18

Script language

State-of-the-art

calculation data-flow

Multiple layouts

Graph and result managers

Parameter sweeps and optimizations

You can enter arithmetical expressions for parameters and create global parameters that can be shared between components and subsystems.

The Calculation Scheduler controls the simulation by

determining the order of execution of component modules according to the selected data flow model. The main data flow model that addresses the simulation of the transmission layer is the Component Iteration Data Flow (CIDF). The CIDF domain uses run-time scheduling, supporting

conditions, data-dependent iteration, and true recursion.You can create many designs using the same project file, which allows you to create and modify your designs quickly and efficiently. Each OptiSystem project file can contain many design versions. Design versions are calculated and modified independently, but calculation results can be

combined across different versions, allowing for comparison of the designs.

Intuitive graph management allows you to graph almost any set of parameters available in the design. The produced graphs are grouped into resizable, moveable Graph views, and the views are organized into a results layout that can be saved and reused. The Graph builder tool compares any result against any parameter sweep.

Simulations can be repeated with an iterated variation of the parameters. OptiSystem can also optimize any parameter to minimize or maximize any result or can search for target results. You can combine multiple parameter sweeps and multiple optimizations.

QUICK START

Quick Start

This section describes how to load a design, run a simulation, edit local and global parameters, and obtain results. The most efficient way to become familiar with

OptiSystem is to complete the lessons in the Tutorials, where you learn how to use the software by solving problems.

Starting OptiSystem

To start OptiSystem, perform the following action.Action

•

From the Start menu, select Programs > Optiwave Software> OptiSystem3.0 > OptiSystem 3.0.

OptiSystem loads and the graphical user interface appears(see Figure1).

Figure 1OptiSystem graphical user interface (GUI)

19

QUICK START

Main parts of the GUI

The OptiSystem GUI contains the following main windows:••

Project layoutDockers

———

Component LibraryProject BrowserDescription

•Status Bar

Project layout

The main working area where you insert components into the layout, edit components, and create connections between components (see Figure2).

Figure 2Project layout window

20

QUICK START

Dockers

Use dockers, located in the main layout, to display information about the active (current) project:

———

Component LibraryProject BrowserDescription

Component Library

Access components to create the system design (see Figure3).

Figure 3Component Library window

Project Browser

Organize the project to achieve results more efficiently, and navigate through the current project (see Figure4).

Figure 4Project Browser window

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Description

Display detailed information about the current project (see Figure5).

Figure 5Description window

Status Bar

Displays project calculation progress information, useful hints about using

OptiSystem, and other help. Located at the bottom of the Project Layout window.

Figure 6Status Bar

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Loading a sample file

To load a sample file, perform the following procedure.Step12

Action

From the File menu, select Open.

In Samples > Introductory Tutorials, select Direct Modulation.osd.The Direct Modulation sample file appears in the Main layout (see Figure7).

Figure 7Direct Modulation sample file

The transmitter is built using a direct laser modulation scheme, and consists of the following components:•

Pseudo-Random Bit Sequence Generator: Sends the bit sequence to the NRZ Pulse Generator. The pulses modulate the Laser Measured. The

Photodetector PIN receives the optical signal attenuated by the Optical Attenuator. The Low Pass Bessel Filter filters the electrical signal.Optical Spectrum Analyzer: Displays the modulated optical signal in the frequency domain

•

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•••

Optical Time Domain Visualizer: Displays the modulated optical signal in the time domain.

Oscilloscope Visualizer: Displays the electrical signal after the PIN in time domain.

BER Analyzer: Measures the performance of the system based on the signal before and after the propagation.

Note: More than one visualizer can be attached to a component output.

Running a simulation

To run a simulation, perform the following procedure.Step1

Action

From the File menu, select Calculate (see Figure8).

The OptiSystem Calculations dialog box appears (see Figure9).

Figure 8File menu

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Figure 9OptiSystem Calculations dialog box

2

In the OptiSystem Calculations dialog box, click the Run button (seeFigure9).

The results appear in the Calculation Output window.

The calculation output appears in the Calculation Output window, and the simulation results appear below the components that were included in the simulation.

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Saving the simulation results

26

OptiSystem allows you to save the signal data from the monitors in the project file. The next time you load the file, the visualizers will recalculate the graphs and results from the monitors.

To save the simulation results, perform the following action.Action

•

After the calculation ends, from the File menu, select Save As.The Save As dialog box appears (see Figure10).

Figure 10Save As dialog box

QUICK START

Displaying results from a visualizer

To view the simulation results, perform the following action.Action

•

Double-click a visualizer in the Project layout to view the graphs and results that the simulation generates (see Figure11).

Figure 11

Optical Time Domain Visualizer results

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Component parameters

Viewing and editing component parameters

Double-click a component to view and edit the parameters for the component. To view the properties for Laser Measured, perform the following action.Action

•

In the Project layout, double-click the Laser Measured component.The Laser Measured Properties dialog box appears.

Figure 12Component parameters – Laser Measured

Component parameters are organized by categories. Laser Measured has seven parameter categories, each represented by a tab in the dialog box (see Figure12).••

Main

Measurements

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•••••

PhysicalInitial estimateSimulationNoise

Random numbers

Each category has a set of parameters. Parameters have the following properties:•••••

DispNameValueUnitsMode

The first category in the Laser Measured dialog box is Main. You can enter the signal Frequency and Power using the Main tab.

The first parameter in the Main category is Disp. When you select a check box beside a parameter listed in the Disp column, the parameter value appears under the component in the Project layout. For example, if you select the Frequency and Power check boxes in the Disp column, these parameter values appear in the Projectlayout (see Figure13).

Figure 13Laser Measured with displayed parameter values

Each parameter can have a value in the columns Name, Value, Units, and Mode. Some parameters can have different units. For example, you can select the

Frequency parameter to be in Hz, THz, or nm. When you change your unit selection, the conversion is automatic (see Figure14).

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Figure 14Choosing parameter values

Editing parameters

To edit the NRZ Pulse Generator parameters, perform the following procedure.‘Step12

Action

Double-click the NRZ Pulse Generator in the Project layout.

The NRZ Pulse Generator Properties dialog box appears (see Figure15).Click the Simulation tab.

Figure 15Laser NRZ Pulse Generator simulation options

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For the Sample rate parameter, the Mode is Script (see Figure16). This parameter will be evaluated as an arithmetic expression. The Sample rate parameter of the Laser Measured component also refers to a Global parameter with the same name.

Figure 16Scripted parameters

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Editing visualizer parameters

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To access the parameters for the Optical Spectrum Analyzer, perform the following procedure.StepAction

1

Right-click the Optical Spectrum Analyzer.A shortcut menu appears (see Figure17).

Figure 17Shortcut menu

2

Select Component Properties.

The Optical Spectrum Analyzer Properties dialog box appears (see Figure18).

QUICK START

Figure 18Optical Spectrum Analyzer Properties dialog box

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Global parameters

The global parameters are common to all OptiSystem simulations. (See Appendix A: Global Parameters for more information on global parameters.) In this particular case, you indirectly define the simulation time window, the number of samples, and the sample rate using three parameters:•••

Bitrate

Bit sequence lengthNumber of samples per bit

These parameters are used to calculate the Time window, Sample rate, and Number of samples.•••

Time window = Sequence length * 1/Bit rate = 256 * 1 / 10e9 = 25.6 nsNumber of samples = Sequence length * Samples per bit = 32768 samplesSample rate = Number of samples / Time window = 1.28 THz

The time window of the simulation is 25.6 ns. 32768 samples will be generated by each component, and the signal bandwidth is 1.28 THz.

OptiSystem shares the parameter Time window with all components. This means that each component works with the same time window. However, each component can work with different sample rates or number of samples (see Figure19).

Figure 19Global parameters values

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Editing global parameters

To edit global parameters, perform the following procedure.Step12

Action

Double-click in the Project layout.

The Layout 1 Parameters dialog box appears (see Figure19).Select or clear global parameters as required.

These parameters can be accessed by any component using the script mode. The NRZ Pulse Generator refers by default to the global parameter Sample rate using script mode (see Figure20). The Low Pass Bessel Filter has the Cutoff parameter frequency as 0.75 * Bit rate. In this case, Bit rate is a global parameter (see Figure21).

Figure 20NRZ Pulse Generator properties

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Figure 21Low Pass Bessel Filter properties

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Using the Layout Editor

In the following example, you will modify a design that you create. You will change the laser modulation scheme from direct to external modulation by replacing some of the components in the design and adding components from the Component Library.To use the Layout Editor, perform the following procedure.Step1

Action

To delete the Laser Measured component, select the Laser Measured component in the Project layout and press the Delete key.The Laser Measured component is deleted from the layout.

From the Component Library, select Default > Transmitters Library > Optical Sources.

Drag the CW Laser to the Project layout (see Figure22).

Note: The autoconnect feature automatically connects components in the Project layout. If connections are not made automatically, see “Connecting components manually” on page 39.

Figure 22CW Laser added to Main Layout

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456

From the Component Library, select Default > Transmitters Library > Optical Modulators.

Drag the Mach-Zehnder Modulator to the Project layout (see Figure23).Place the Mach-Zehnder Modulator in the Project layout so the following connections are generated:

a.NRZ Pulse Generator output port to the Mach-Zehnder modulation

input portb.CW Laser output port to the Mach-Zehnder Modulator Carrier input portc.

Mach-Zehnder Modulator output port to the Optical Attenuator input port

Figure 23Connecting components

7

Connect the Mach-Zehnder Modulator output port to the Optical Spectrum Analyzer input port and to the Optical Time Domain Visualizer input port (see Figure24).

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Figure 24Mach-Zehnder Modulator connected to visualizers

10

From the File menu, select Calculate.

The OptiSystem Calculations dialog box appears.Click the Run button.

The results appear in the Calculation Output window.

To view the graphs and results, double-click on the visualizers (see Figure26 and Figure27 for examples of visualizer results).

Connecting components manually

To connect components using the layout tool, perform the following procedure.Step1

Action

Place the cursor over the initial port.

The cursor changes to the rubber band cursor (chain link) (see Figure25).A tool tip appears that indicates the type of signal that is available on this port.Click and drag to the port to be connected.The ports are connected.

Note: You can only connect output to input ports and vice versa.

Figure 25Rubber Band cursor

2

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Figure 26Visualizer results — OSA example

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Figure 27Visualizer results — BER example

QUICK START

Saving the design and closing OptiSystem

To save the design and close OptiSystem, perform the following procedure.StepAction

1From the File menu, select Save.

The Direct Modulation.osd design is saved.2

From the File menu, select Exit.OptiSystem closes.

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Notes:

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Appendix A: Global Parameters

When you create a new design, you must define the global simulation parameters. These parameters are critical to the simulation. They show the speed, accuracy, and memory requirements for a particular simulation during the system design stage. It is important to understand what the global parameters are, because they have an impact on all the components that use these parameters (see Figure28).

Figure 28Global parameters relationships

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Simulation parameters

Figure 29Simulation parameters

Simulation window

Specifies the setup mode for entering the parameters that define the main simulation parameters:•

Set bit rate: Allows you to enter the Bit rate. This is the default mode — you can easily set up the simulation using typical parameters such as Bit rate, Sequence length, and Samples per bit.

Set time window: Allows you to enter the Time window valueSet sample rate: Allows you to enter the Sample rate

••

The parameter Bit rate recalculates based on these parameters.

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Reference bit rate

If this parameter is enabled, when you select Set time window or Set sample rate in the Simulation window, it will find the closest Time window or Sample rate without changing the Bit rate.

Bit rate

The value of the global bit rate is in bits per second. All components can access this parameter (see Figure30). The global bit rate can affect components such as Bit sequence generators because components that require this parameter use is as a default value.

An expression relative to this bit rate value is used to define the default value for the bandwidth or cutoff frequency of most electrical filters. When you change this global parameter, you can change the bit rate setting of all modules in the design simultaneously.

Figure 30Global parameter Bit rate

Bit rate

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Time window

Specifies in seconds the Time window of the simulation. OptiSystem shares the parameter Time window with all components. This means that each component works with the same Time window. Since the Time window defines the frequency spacing in the frequency domain, the sampled signal will always have the same frequency spacing. This parameter is best expressed in terms of the sequence length and the bit rate used during the simulation. It affects all components.

Sample rate

Specifies the frequency simulation window or simulation bandwidth in Hz (see Figure31). It can affect components such as pulse generators and optical sources that generate signals at different sample rates. It is often convenient to operate all modules in the design at the same sample rate. This can be done easily by using this global parameter. The default parameter for all components requiring sample rate is referred to as the global sample rate. When you change this global parameter, you can change the sample rate setting of all modules in the design simultaneously.

Figure 31Global parameter Sample rate

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Sequence length

The length of the bit sequence in number of bits. It must be a power of two.

Figure 32Global parameter Sequence length

Sequence length

Samples per bit

Number of samples for bit used to discretize the sampled signals. It must be a power of two.

Number of samples

This read-only parameter shows the number of samples calculated by the product of Sequence length and Samples per bit.

47

APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Iterations

Number of signal blocks generated by each simulation. It can affect components such as pulse generators and optical sources and some of the components in the Tools Library.

Figure 33Global parameter Iterations

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Signals parameters

Figure 34Global parameters Signals

Parameterized

Defines whether the signal output will be sampled signals (disabled) or parameterized signals (enabled). It can affect components such as optical sources and optical pulse generators.

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Noise parameters

Convert noise bins

Selects whether noise within a sampled band's frequency range is added to the sampled signal or represented separately as noise bins. The default value is disabled, which means the noise propagate is separated from the signals. It can affect the Erbium doped fiber amplifiers and the photo detectors.

Figure 35Global parameters Noise

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Signal representation

To make the simulation tool more flexible and efficient, it is essential that it provides models at different abstraction levels, including the system, subsystem, and

component levels. OptiSystem features a hierarchical definition of components and systems, allowing you to employ specific software tools for integrated and fiber optics in the component level and allowing the simulation to go as deep as the desired accuracy requires. Different abstraction levels imply different signal representations. The signal representation must be as complete as possible in order to allow efficient simulation.

There are three types of signals in the signal library:BinaryElectricalOptical

RedBlueGreen

The connection color for ports are the following:••••

red for binary signals blue for electrical signalsgreen for optical signals

dark green for components that can have any type of signal

Figure 36Signal types and connections

OptiSystem handles mixed signal formats in the Component Library for optical and electrical signals. It calculates the signals using different algorithms according to the desired simulation accuracy and efficiency.

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Binary signals

Binary signals are generated by components such as bit sequence generators. Pulse generators in the Transmitters Library and digital switches in the Network Library use this signal as input data.

A binary signal consists of a sequence of ones and zeros, or marks and spaces. The main property of the binary signal is the Bit rate (see Figure37).

Figure 37Binary signal

Electrical signals

Electrical signals are generated by components such as pulse generators in the Transmitter Library and photodetectors in the Receivers Library.

Electrical signals consist of the sampled signal waveform in time domain. The main properties of the electrical signal are the signal noise variances in the time domain and the noise power spectral densities in the frequency domain.

When a pulse generator generates the electrical signal, there is no noise information with the signal because the signal is pure. If the electrical signal is generated by a photodetector, there are different sources of noise, some of which are time dependent and must be characterized by the time variance (for example, shot noise). Some of them are given as power spectral density (for example, thermal noise). The electrical signal creates the noise information according to the properties and the number of noise sources in the component (see Figure38).

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Figure 38Electrical signal - noise variance - PSD

If the electrical signal is filtered, the noise PSD is affected immediately because the PSD is filtered based on the filter transfer function in frequency domain. If the noise is also characterized by the noise variance, it is not affected immediately. The information about the filter transfer function is saved in the frequency domain as a property of the noise. As a result, you can have a cascade of electrical filters and the electrical signal will keep track of the equivalent transfer function of the filters.When using the noise variance for calculation of the signal noise, the information about the filters will be used to generate the equivalent noise bandwidth and will be applied to the noise variance (see Figure39).

Figure 39

Filtering electrical signal

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Optical signals

54

Optical signals are generated by components such as lasers in the Transmitters Library. Optical signals accommodate different signal representations:•Sampled signals•Parameterized signals•

Noise bins

Figure 40Mixed optical signal representation - Frequency domain

Sampled signals

Optical signals can accommodate any arbitrary number of signal bands. In the simplest case, there is one single frequency band when a single, continuous frequency band represents the waveforms of all the modulated optical carriers. A single optical source (for example, CW Laser) produces a single frequency band. The band represents the complex sampled optical field of the signal in two polarizations. This type of optical signal is called a Sampled signal.

When two or more Sampled signals are combined, the individual signals will join into a new sampled signal if their simulation bandwidths overlap, or they are kept

separated if the simulation bandwidth does not overlap. The resulting signal is called Sampled signals — in this case, each sampled signal is propagated using a separate sampled optical field.Example

Signals are generated in each laser and are combined in the multiplexer. After the multiplexer, the channels at frequencies 193.1 and 193.2 THz overlap, so they are added to the same band (see Figure41).

APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Figure 41Overlapping channel frequencies

Parameterized signals

The signal description based on the Sampled signals covers the majority of physical phenomena affecting the system design. When designing a system where the power budget analysis and the fast signal-to-noise ratio estimations are the main performance evaluation results, signal channels can be approximated by their average power, assuming that the detailed waveform of their data streams are not important. One application example is the investigation of the transmission behavior of the central channels in dense WDM systems, or an estimation of the EDFA performance in the steady-state regime.

Parameterized Signals are time-averaged descriptions of the sampled signals based on the information about the optical signal (for example, Average power, Central frequency, and Polarization state).Example

Signals are generated in each laser using parameterized representation and

combined in the multiplexer. Signals are represented by power and frequency (see Figure42).

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

56

Figure 42Signals combined in the multiplexer

In the typical simulation of optical amplifiers in a WDM system, the model of an EDFA uses the static solution of the rate equations. Each WDM channel is a sampled signal with the information about the signal waveform (for example, center frequency,

sample rate and a large number of samples). The WDM channels are close to each other, and can be in separate channels or together in the same band using a total field approach. The center frequency of the signal pump is far from the signal channels, making it inefficient to include the pump in the same band as the signal channels. There is no information content in the bandwidth range between the channels and pumps. The signal pump is also a CW signal, and can be represented as a

parameterized signal by such statistical parameters as its power and wavelength.The other type of signal is the ASE generated by the amplifier, which can also be represented in an alternative way by the power spectral density of the ASE bandwidth instead of the sampled signal. OptiSystem separates noise and signals in the spectrum, describing the noise by modifying the parameterized signals to another signal representation — Noise bins.Noise bins

Noise bins represent the noise by the average spectral density in two polarizations using a coarse spectral resolution. The resolution can be adapted to maintain the accuracy of the simulation. The main advantage of using Noise bins is to cover the wide spectrum of the optical signals or to represent the noise outside the Sample signals bandwidths. The noise bin representation is similar to the parameterized signals, including the polarization. The main difference is that noise bins are defined by the noise power density and the bandwidth of each noise bin instead of by the average power (see Figure43).

APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Figure 43Noise bins generated by EDFA

Noise Bins can be created whenever there is a source of optical noise, such as optical amplifiers. You define the initial resolution and bandwidth of the noise (see Figure44).

Figure 44Mixed signals generated by EDFA

During transmission, the widths of the noise bins are adapted automatically to

describe the filtering of the noise with a specified precision. The noise bins shrink in width as they propagate through the simulation in order to maintain the discretization accuracy (see Figure45).

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

58

Figure 45Filtering noise bins – adaptive band of each bin

APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Opening the global parameters dialog

To open the global parameters dialog, perform the following action.Action

•OR

•

Select Layout > Parameters from the Menu toolbar.The Layout Parameters dialog opens (see Figure46).Double-click in the Project layout window.

The Layout Parameters dialog opens (see Figure46).

Editing global parameters

To edit global parameters, perform the following procedure.Step12

Action

Double-click in the Project layout.

The Layout Parameters dialog box appears (see Figure46).Select or clear global parameters as required.

Figure 46Layout Parameters dialog

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APPENDIX A: GLOBAL PARAMETERS

Notes:

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