DSP-enabled optical OFDM for multiple-format and multi-rate/distance transmission

Digital signal processing (DSP) combined with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technology represents a powerful tool and an attractive candidate for the design of programmable adaptive transceivers with the ability of manipulating the spectrum with subwavelength granularity. The individual subcarriers can be suitably configured to multiple formats for rate/distance adaptive transmission over the network, according to the channel profile and the traffic demand. In this paper, the use of bit and power loading modules in the transceiver DSP block is discussed for optoelectronic front-end based on direct detection. Particularly, the ability of coping with transmission impairments and actual component limitations will be analysed for different single sideband modulation techniques, aiming at enhancing the transceiver spectral efficiency and achievable reach. Furthermore, experimental results obtained within the ADRENALINE network are presented.