A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) access network using high-speed free-space optical (FSO) communication for the distribution link is proposed. Combining FSO communication with optical fiber can reduce the system cost and provide high-bandwidth access in regions where optical fiber installation is problematic. The WDM channels suffer from interchannel crosstalk, while the FSO communication performance in a clear atmosphere is limited by atmospherically induced scintillation. These impairments, plus the amplified spontaneous emission noise from optical amplification, combine in a potentially problematic way, particularly in the upstream direction, which is investigated here. This turbulenceaccentuated crosstalk effect is considered for the cases of 1) signal turbulent but crosstalk not and 2) crosstalk turbulent but signal not. Error floors are obtained in each case. The FSO link length that can be supported in the general case of the hybrid network is investigated.Index Terms-Amplified spontaneous emission; Atmospheric turbulence; Fiber and free-space optical communications; Interchannel crosstalk; Wavelength division multiplexing.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

In free space optical (FSO) communication systems limited by atmospheric turbulence, the use of non-adaptive decision thresholds to determine the transmitted bits results in bit error rate (BER) floors at high BER values in all turbulence regimes. Practically implementing an adaptive decision threshold that can properly track the fluctuations due to atmospheric turbulence is challenging, therefore, devising ways of optimising the non-adaptive decision threshold used by FSO designers is necessary. In this paper, the investigation of gain saturated pre-amplified FSO communication systems using non-adaptive decision thresholds in the presence of atmospheric turbulence, pointing errors (PEs), geometric spread (GS) and amplified spontaneous emission noise is carried out by applying analytical methods and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation techniques. System performance is carried out for various turbulence regimes, normalised beam widths, normalised PE standard deviations and small signal gains using fixed gain and gain saturated optical amplifiers (OAs). Results obtained show that in the presence of atmospheric turbulence, PE and GS, optimal BER performances are obtained with OA input powers higher than the internal saturation power of the OA. Also, by using high gain OAs and varying the decision threshold level, acceptable BER performances can be obtained in strong turbulence regimes with a non-adaptive decision threshold.