Modeling of optical link using finite-difference method

Propagation of optical pulses in nonlinear dispersive lossy fiber is numerically analyzed using finite-difference method. Nonlinear Schrodinger equation is solved using split-step method and Crank-Nicholson finite-difference scheme. Polarization mode dispersion model, based on coupled nonlinear Schrodinger equations, is included into calculations. The models of erbium doped fiber amplifiers in time domain and filters in frequency domain are developed in order to simulate the most important components of optical link. The computer program named FiberProp is developed based on these models. The examples of soliton-soliton interaction, Gordon-Haus effect, as well as their compensation in 40 Gb/s soliton systems are given. The signal transmission in the presence of polarization mode dispersion is also shown.