In next-generation optical networks, optimizing the Optical Distribution Network (ODN) loss is crucial to balancing power budgets while mitigating nonlinear effects. Our latest experimental study at Allegro evaluates the impact of ASE noise, receiver noise, and filter bandwidth on system performance at BER = 10⁻².
Key insights from our findings:
✅ Achievable ODN loss increases with higher OSNR and optimized filter bandwidth-to-symbol rate ratios.
✅ Filter bandwidth limitations significantly impact performance, especially at higher SG filter orders (6 and 9).
✅ A filterless scenario enables ODN loss values above 30 dB, with a peak of 34 dB at BER = 10⁻².
✅ At non-critical OSNR levels (19–22 dB), only SG order 3 with 90% B/Rₛ remains viable within ITU-T standards.
These results are pivotal in defining the trade-offs for metro + PON architectures, highlighting the challenges of stringent filtering conditions and the limits of DSP equalization in commercial transponders.
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#OpticalNetworks #PON #MetroAccess #ODN #CoherentDetection #TelecomResearch
