Architecture for low-cost and highly flexible metro-access networks using SOA-based OADM nodes and digital subcarrier multiplexing with power loading.

Metro-access networks exploiting wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to cope with the ever-growing bandwidth demands are sensitive to cost and need to be fast-configurable to meet the requirements of many new network services. Optical add-drop multiplexers (OADMs) are a key component in enabling fast dynamic wavelength allocation and optimization. In this Letter, we propose and demonstrate, to our knowledge, a novel architecture for high-performance metro-access networks that utilizes semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-based OADM nodes, digital subcarrier multiplexing (DSCM), low-cost direct detection receivers, and power loading techniques, which makes the designed metro-access network cost-effective, fast reconfigurable, and flexible for bandwidth allocation on demand. Through a proof-of-concept experiment, we have successfully demonstrated a prototype horseshoe optical network consisting of up to four SOA-based OADM nodes at 40 Gb/s per wavelength channel by leveraging the proposed scheme. The flexible bandwidth allocation and dynamic add and drop operations have also been achieved in an emulated WDM optical network. All results indicate the great scalability and flexibility of the proposed architecture.

Extending the coverage of user-diversified IM-DD PON by FDM: a mathematical model with experimental verification.

Future passive optical networks (PONs) call for more flexibility to support diversified users with various rate demands and link qualities. Using traditional time-division multiplexing (TDM), the concept of a flexible rate PON was proposed to accommodate more users with link diversity by rate adaptation. In this Letter, we reveal the PON coverage can be further extended through frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) in the presence of multiuser diversity, namely, (i) there exist users with frequency-dependent link conditions and (ii) the link conditions exhibit disparity among users. We build a mathematical model and propose an optimization algorithm based on the binary tree search to optimize diversity gain. We experimentally verify its feasibility by studying the diversity gain concerning chromatic dispersion, optical path loss, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) variation in a 200G-class intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) system.

Nonlinear distortion mitigation of DML-based OFDM optical systems with non-orthogonal DFT-precoding.

We propose a non-orthogonal discrete Fourier transform (DFT) matrix precoding scheme for the mitigation of nonlinear distortion induced by the interaction between laser chirp and fiber dispersion in a directly modulated laser (DML)-based orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmission system. Compared with conventional OFDM, the proposed method can decrease the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) and significantly reduce the nonlinear distortion without sacrificing spectral efficiency (SE). The cascaded binary-phase-shift-keying iterative detection (CBID) algorithm is used to eliminate the inter-carrier interference (ICI) that is purposely induced by the non-orthogonal precoding. The performance of the proposed scheme is experimentally evaluated, achieving ∼0.4-dB sensitivity improvement at the KP4-forward error correction (FEC) threshold over the T/2-spaced third-order Volterra nonlinear equalizer (VNLE). Meanwhile, compared to the VNLE, the reduction in computational complexity of one OFDM frame is 90% for multiplication and 88.32% for addition in this work.

Single-wavelength transmission at 1.1-Tbit/s net data rate over a multi-modal free-space optical link using commercial devices.

We employ commercial mode-selective photonic lanterns to implement mode multiplexing and demultiplexing for high-capacity free-space optical communications. Moreover, we design a time-division-multiplexed frame structure to efficiently emulate multiple independent transmitters with channelized precoding using only one transmitter. To maximize the throughput of the system, we optimize the modes selected for carrying data, and apply adaptive loading to different channels. By leveraging mode- and polarization-division multiplexing, the free-space optical data link comprising multiple independent channels provides an aggregate net data rate of 1.1 Tbit/s and net spectral efficiency of 28.35 bit/s/Hz. Different from many previous demonstrations based on delayed or partially delayed copies of identical data streams, to the best of our knowledge, ours is a record-high net data rate and net spectral efficiency achieved by a single-wavelength mode-division multiplexed free-space optical communication system with fully independent channels. Moreover, all key devices used in this work, including optical transponder, multiplexer, and demultiplexer are commercially available.

Demonstration of 10-channel mode- and polarization-division multiplexed free-space optical transmission with successive interference cancellation DSP.

We experimentally demonstrate 10-channel mode-division multiplexed free-space optical transmission with five spatial modes, each carrying 19.6925-Gbaud dual-polarization quadrature phase shift keying signals. Strong inter-mode cross talk is observed in our commercially available photonic lantern based system when using a complete orthogonal mode set as independent channels. A successive interference cancellation based multiple-input multiple-output digital signal processing (DSP) algorithm is first applied to mitigate the inter-mode cross talk in mode-division multiplexed systems. The DSP also supports unequal transmit and receive channel numbers to further improve the cross talk resiliency. Compared to the conventional minimum mean square error DSP, the required optical signal-to-noise ratio of the successive interference cancellation DSP is decreased by approximately 5 dB at the hard-decision forward error correction limit. As a result, this system demonstrates a record-high independent channel number of 10 and spectral efficiency of 13.7 b/s/Hz in mode-division multiplexed free-space optical systems.

Channel interference study and power ratio optimization on two optical Nyquist-PM-QPSK signals with spectral overlap.

Recent signal processing of optical signals has involved possible overlapping of the spectra from the adjacent optical channels for channel multiplexing and improving system throughput. However, the incurred channel interference performance has not yet been carefully characterized. In this paper, we carry out simulations and experiments to investigate various system parameters that determine such adjacent channel interference performance and further optimize the channel power ratio when two optical channels, each carrying a Nyquist shaped and polarization multiplexed quadrature phase-shift keying (Nyquist-PM-QPSK) signal, are being multiplexed with optical spectral overlap. With a properly designed successive interference cancellation (SIC) algorithm, both channels can be successfully separated and decoded individually. The OSNR penalties due to possible time offset, polarization rotation, and frequency offset between the two adjacent optical channels are investigated. The power ratio between the two adjacent optical channels are further optimized with respect to the OSNR penalties.

Experimental demonstration of 111.1-Gb/s net information rate using IM/DD probabilistically shaped orthogonal chirp-division multiplexing with a 10-GHz-class modulator.

We propose probabilistically shaped quadrature amplitude modulation (PS-QAM) formats to maximize the capacity in fiber transmission systems using orthogonal chirp-division multiplexing (OCDM). OCDM possesses the property of chirp spread spectrum (CSS), leading to improved resilience to system impairments. We further investigate the recently proposed robust channel estimator based on pulse compression and noise rejection and experimentally demonstrate its feasibility in an intensity-modulated/direction-detection (IM/DD) OCDM system. By applying the proposed PS-QAM based OCDM to an IM/DD optical system, a net information rate of 111.1 Gb/s has been successfully achieved using a 10-GHz class Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) and has also shown improved performance compared to the conventional PS-QAM based orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. Moreover, due to the superior characteristics of OCDM, there is no need for additional feedback to obtain the prior knowledge of channel state information in the proposed system, leading to reduced complexity and cost.

Modulation format identification enabled by the digital frequency-offset loading technique for hitless coherent transceiver.

We propose a blind and fast modulation format identification (MFI) enabled by the digital frequency-offset (FO) loading technique for hitless coherent transceiver. Since modulation format information is encoded to the FO distribution during digital signal processing (DSP) at the transmitter side (Tx), we can use the fast Fourier transformation based FO estimation (FFT-FOE) method to obtain the FO distribution of individual data block after constant modulus algorithm (CMA) pre-equalization at the receiver side, in order to realize non-data-aided (NDA) and fast MFI. The obtained FO can be also used for subsequent FO compensation (FOC), without additional complexity. We numerically investigate and experimentally verify the proposed MFI with high accuracy and fast format switching among 28 Gbaud dual-polarization (DP)-4/8/16/64QAM, time domain hybrid-4/16QAM, and set partitioning (SP)-128QAM. In particular, the proposed MFI brings no performance degradation, in term of tolerance of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise, laser linewidth, and fiber nonlinearity. Finally, a hitless coherent transceiver enabled by the proposed MFI with switching-block of only 2048 symbols is demonstrated over 1500 km standard single mode fiber (SSMF) transmission.

Maturation of social attribution skills in typically developing children: an investigation using the social attribution task.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of social attribution skills in children can potentially identify and quantify developmental difficulties related to autism spectrum disorders and related conditions. However, relatively little is known about how these skills develop in typically developing children. Therefore the present study aimed to map the trajectory of social attribution skill acquisition in typically developing children from a young age. METHODS: In the conventional social attribution task (SAT) participants ascribe feelings to moving shapes and describe their interaction in social terms. However, this format requires that participants understand both, that an inanimate shape is symbolic, and that its action is social in nature. This may be challenging for young children, and may be a potential confounder in studies of children with developmental disorders. Therefore we developed a modified SAT (mSAT) using animate figures (e.g. animals) to simplify the task. We used the SAT and mSAT to examine social attribution skill development in 154 healthy children (76 boys, 78 girls), ranging in age from 6 to 13 years and investigated the relationship between social attribution ability and executive function. RESULTS: The mSAT revealed a steady improvement in social attribution skills from the age of 6 years, and a significant advantage for girls compared to boys. In contrast, children under the age of 9 years performed at baseline on the conventional format and there were no gender differences apparent. Performance on neither task correlated with executive function after controlling for age and verbal IQ, suggesting that social attribution ability is independent of cognitive functioning. The present findings indicate that the mSAT is a sensitive measure of social attribution skills from a young age. This should be carefully considered when choosing assessments for young children and those with developmental disorders.

Multitasking performance of Chinese children with ADHD.

The aim of this study was to explore multitasking skills in a Chinese sample of 22 children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with 22 healthy controls matched by gender, age, and IQ. All of the participants completed the children's version of the Six Elements Test (C-SET) and neuropsychological tests that captured specific domains of attention, memory, and executive function. Children with ADHD performed significantly worse than the healthy controls in all domains except the number of rules broken in the C-SET. The majority of the C-SET domain scores correlated significantly with measures of executive function. The ADHD group also demonstrated deficits in various neurocognitive test performances compared with the healthy group. This preliminary study suggests that the C-SET is sensitive to multitasking behavior in Chinese children with ADHD. The main impairments of multitasking behavior in this clinical group involve the inhibition of goal-directed planning, flexible strategy generation, and self-monitoring.