Calculation of bit-error rates and power penalties due to incoherent crosstalk in optical networks using Taylor series expansions

A new calculation method is presented for bit-error rates and power penalties due to incoherent crosstalk from up to eight interferers of different powers, based on a truncated Taylor series approximation of the crosstalk contribution to the noise probability density function. Formulae are provided for bit-error rates and power penalties in both thermal and ASE limited systems, with average-power and optimized decision thresholds, and include extinction ratio effects. The technique forms an excellent complement to the Gaussian approximation.