Abstract: An inventive method for multi-symbol polarization switching for differential detection optical systems includes modulating a laser source by a DQPSK modulator, driving the DQPSK modulator with a data block configured for generating multi-symbol polarization-switched DQPSK differential-encoded signals, and polarizing the multi-symbol polarization-switched DQPSK signals with a polarizing modulator whose modulation speed is based on how often polarization states vary, wherein the data block provides a bits manipulation to provide the multi-symbol polarization switching thereby enabling differential detection for recovering correct original data by a receiver.

Abstract: Disclosed are structures and methods for generating a Nyquist superchannel.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for a cyclic (forward-backward) decoding for a forward error-correction FEC scheme includes decoding a given k?1th codeword in in a block code of length N in an optical communication system, forwarding M symbols' enhanced log likelihood ratios LLRs produced by decoding the k?1th codeword, decoding the kth codeword together with forwarded M symbols' enhanced LLRS, and feeding backward, to the initial step i) decoding, corresponding overlapped M symbols' enhanced LLRs for decoding of the k?1 th codeword again.

Abstract: Methods of converting silica to silicon and fabricating silicon photonic crystal fiber (PCF) are disclosed. Silicon photonic crystal fibers made by the fabrication methods are also disclosed. One fabrication method includes: sealing silica PCF and a quantity of magnesium within a container, the quantity of magnesium defined by 2Mg(g)+SiO2(s)?2MgO(s)+Si(s); converting silica PCF to a reacted PCF through magnesiothermic reduction; and converting the reacted PCF to the fabricated silicon PCF by selective dissolution of the reacted PCF in an acid. Another fabrication method includes: adding silica PCF and a quantity of solid magnesium to an unsealed container, the quantity of magnesium substantially in excess of that defined by 2Mg(g)+SiO2(s)?2MgO(s)+Si(s); converting silica PCF to a reacted PCF through magnesiothermic reduction; and converting the reacted PCF to the fabricated silicon PCF by selective dissolution of the reacted PCF in an acid.

Abstract: A method for optical chirp-free optical polarization modulation includes dividing a data modulated optical signal into a first optical path and a second optical path, using a Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator in the first optical path for imparting a ? phase difference between adjacent symbols of the data modulated optical signal in the first optical path, adjusting a delay and amplitude of symbols of the data modulated optical signal in the second path so that the symbols in the first path and the symbols in the second path are synchronized and have substantially equal power levels, and combining the first and second optical paths so that symbols from the first and second optical paths are in orthogonal polarizations.

Abstract: Methods, structures and systems for generating different polarization multiplexed signals wherein the drivers of the modulators are generic while a software-controlled manager allows the carrying of any standard 10 G/40 G/100 G data while—at the same time—being adaptively adjustable according to specific link requirements and users' requests in both dispersion-managed and uncompensated links.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an waveguide includes a primary core configured to guide electromagnetic waves having relatively long wavelengths, a unit cell having a core configured to guide electromagnetic waves having relatively short wavelengths, the relatively long wavelengths being at least twice as long as the relatively short wavelengths, and a cladding material that surrounds the primary core and the unit cell.

Abstract: Systems and methods of polarization demultiplexing are disclosed. One such method receives a transmitted polarization-multiplexed optical signal The polarization-multiplexed has multiple polarizations, each of which represents an independent data stream. The method converts the polarization-multiplexed optical signal to a corresponding polarization-multiplexed electrical signal. The method determines an inverse transformation matrix that meets an independent component analysis (ICA) criterion. The method applies the inverse transformation matrix to the polarization-multiplexed electrical signal, which produces a polarization-demultiplexed electrical signal. The method phase estimates the polarization-demultiplexed electrical signal to recover the data stream.

Abstract: An optical communication system includes a digital signal processer coupled to the coherent receiver, said coherent receiver including a nonlinearity compensation module for compensating for nonlinear effects in fiber in the optical link for increasing capacity or transmission distance of the fiber, the nonlinearity compensation module includes a spectral slicing of the signal into bands, computing nonlinear interaction between the bands with parameters opposite to those of the fiber to reverse the non-linear effects in the fiber, and only certain nonlinear interactions between bands are considered thereby reducing complexity of the nonlinearity compensation.

Abstract: Systems and method of compensating for transmission impairment are disclosed. One such method comprises receiving a wavelength-division multiplexed optical signal. The received optical signal has been distorted in the physical domain by an optical transmission channel. The method further comprises propagating the distorted optical signal backward in the electronic domain in a corresponding virtual optical transmission channel. The backward propagation fully compensates for fiber dispersion, self-phase modulation, and cross-phase modulation (XPM) and partially compensates for four-wave mixing (FWM).

Abstract: Systems and methods of compensating for transmission impairment are disclosed. One such method includes receiving a polarization-division multiplexed optical signal which has been distorted in the physical domain by an optical transmission channel, and propagating the distorted polarization-division multiplexed optical signal backward in the electronic domain in a corresponding virtual optical transmission channel.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an optical transmission system includes a few-mode fiber that supports at least 2 spatial modes but no more than 50 spatial modes.

Abstract: An inventive method for multi-symbol polarization switching for differential detection optical systems includes modulating a laser source by a DQPSK modulator, driving the DQPSK modulator with a data block configured for generating multi-symbol polarization-switched DQPSK differential-encoded signals, and polarizing the multi-symbol polarization-switched DQPSK signals with a polarizing modulator whose modulation speed is based on how often polarization states vary, wherein the data block provides a bits manipulation to provide the multi-symbol polarization switching thereby enabling differential detection for recovering correct original data by a receiver.

Abstract: An inventive method for coherent interleaved polarization-multiplexing PolMux optical communications with a single IQ modulator includes modulating a light source to generate a 50% return-to-zero RZ signal pulse at a frequency Rs, driving a single IQ modulator with inphase I and quadrature phase Q data at a bit rate of sais Rs to introduce phase modulation on said 50% RZ signal pulse to produce a QPSK pulse signal with all symbols being in a same polarization state without any time overlapping; and polarization modulating said QPSK signal to alternatively convert said QPSK signal into two orthogonal polarizations states enabling an interleaving PolMux signal with a symbol rate of Rs/2.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting an optical signal over an optic link in a communication system, the optical link including an optical fiber and optical amplifier; coupling a coherent receiver in the communication system to the optic link for receiving the optical signal; and processing an output from the coherent receiver with digital signal processing DSP in the communication system, the DSP compensating for impairments of the optical signal due to the fiber optic link with an equivalent-link back-propagation.

Abstract: An optical method for generating an optical quadrature duobinary QDB signal includes receiving a quadrature phase-shift-keying QPSK signal, and adding a delay to the received quadrature phase-shift-keying QPSK signal to generate an optical quadrature duobinary signal.

Abstract: A method for optical chirp-free optical polarization modulation includes dividing a data modulated optical signal into a first optical path and a second optical path, using a Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator in the first optical path for imparting a ? phase difference between adjacent symbols of the data modulated optical signal in the first optical path, adjusting a delay and amplitude of symbols of the data modulated optical signal in the second path so that the symbols in the first path and the symbols in the second path are synchronized and have substantially equal power levels, and combining the first and second optical paths so that symbols from the first and second optical paths are in orthogonal polarizations.

Abstract: Methods and systems for soft-decision non-binary low-density parity-check (LDPC) coding for ultra-long-haul optical transoceanic transmissions are provided. A receiver includes one or more maximum a posteriori (MAP) equalizers configured to decode one or more symbols of an encoded input stream to provide one or more symbol log-likelihood ratios (LLRs). One or more LLR estimators are configured to estimate the log-likelihood ratios of the one or more symbol LLRs to provide one or more bit LLRs. One or more non-binary LDPC decoders are configured to decode the input stream using the one or more bit LLRs to recover an original input stream.

Abstract: Systems and method of compensating for transmission impairment are disclosed. One such method comprises: receiving an optical signal which has been distorted in the physical domain by an optical transmission channel; and propagating the distorted optical signal backward in the electronic domain in a corresponding virtual optical transmission channel.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an waveguide includes a primary core configured to guide electromagnetic waves having relatively long wavelengths, a unit cell having a core configured to guide electromagnetic waves having relatively short wavelengths, the relatively long wavelengths being at least twice as long as the relatively short wavelengths, and a cladding material that surrounds the primary core and the unit cell.