A mixed-signal implementation of a multi-carrier QAM transceiver for optical communications

This paper proposes sub-carrier multiplexing (SCM) modulation in the electrical domain as a bandwidth efficient modulation with advantages over on-off keying in the design and implementation of a low-cost short-haul high-speed optical communication system. With SCM the signaling rate can be lowered to a level where current cost-effective mixed-signal and digital circuit technology can operate and be effectively implemented. Novel digital signal processing techniques and architectures are presented that reduce overall system SCM design specification constraints and alleviate linear channel impairments.