Mode Division Multiplexing for limiting the power dissipation in high spectral efficiency systems

Abstract

Mode Division Multiplexing (MDM) is proposed not only as an additional dimension to increase the fiber capacity, but also as an efficient approach to reduce power dissipation in high spectral efficient systems with respect to solutions based on coherent detection and digital signal processing. In particular, fiber modes also known as circular vortices, characterized by a definite value of spin and of orbital angular momentum, are taken into account for MDM in this paper. Two different 100-Gb/s realizations based respectively on coherent technology and on MDM propagation are compared in terms of power consumption. Research objectives concerning energy sustainability and MDM development are evaluated with promising perspectives.