Robust, wide-range, and precise transmitter IQ impairment monitoring scheme for coherent digital subcarrier multiplexing systems.

In this Letter, we present a robust, wide-range, and precise monitoring scheme for transmitter (Tx) impairments in coherent digital subcarrier multiplexing (DSCM) systems. The proposed scheme employs frequency-domain pilot tones (FPTs) to compensate for frequency offset (FO), polarization aliasing, and carrier phase noise, thus isolating Tx impairments from channel distortions. It then implements 4 × 4 real-valued MIMO to compensate for Tx impairments by equalizing symmetric subcarriers. Tx impairment monitoring is derived from the equalizer coefficients. By considering the phase shift caused by Tx impairments, a wide-range and precise monitoring of Tx impairments including IQ skew, IQ phase, and gain imbalances is achieved. We experimentally validated our approach using a 48-GBaud, four-subcarrier, dual-polarization coherent DSCM system. The results confirm the method's capability for a wide-range, robust, and precise Tx impairment monitoring in coherent DSCM systems, maintaining performance even in the presence of ultra-fast polarization variation.

Computational study on the propagation of strongly focused nonlinear ultrasound in tissue with rib-like structures.

The presence of a rib cage is a significant hindrance to the potential applications of focused ultrasound as a noninvasive extracorporeal surgery modality for various internal organs. Here the influence of ribs on the propagation of strongly focused high-intensity nonlinear ultrasound beam inside the body is studied. Based on the spheroidal beam equation, a three-dimensional numerical algorithm is developed to solve the nonlinear acoustic field generated by a focused ultrasonic transducer with a large aperture angle. Idealized ribs, of rectangular cross sectional, with high absorption and impedance, and various dimensions, are used to simulate human anatomical configurations. The changes in the spatial distribution of acoustic intensity and the reduction of the acoustic pressure amplitude and heat deposition rate due to the presence of "ribs" are investigated. It is somewhat surprising that in some cases, the axial peak positions shift less than 2 mm and more than 80% of the sound energy can propagate through the space of the rib cage in the strongly focused sound field. This study also includes quantitative analyses of the effects of different rib configurations and transducers of various f-numbers. The results can be used as reference information for further study and clinical applications.