Optical implementation of a space-time-trellis code for enhancing the tolerance of systems to polarization-dependent loss.

We propose a space-time coding scheme designed to increase the tolerance of fiber-optic communications systems to polarization-dependent loss (PDL). A notable increase in the tolerable amount of average link PDL is achieved without affecting the complexity of the overall optical communications link. Other advantages include seamless integration with the broadly deployed blind equalization modules relying on the constant modulus algorithm.

Disjoint detection in polarization multiplexed communication systems affected by polarization dependent loss.

We study the performance of a simple optical receiver for use with polarization multiplexed transmission in the presence of polarization dependent loss (PDL). The receiver is based upon filtering of each of the channels with a polarizer that is orthogonal to the other channel, such that interference due to loss of orthogonality is avoided at the expense of a reduction in the detected signal to noise ratio. In spite of its simplicity, this receiver is shown to perform almost as well as the optimal maximum likelihood receiver, and much better than receivers that are based on conventional polarization splitting.