Sixteen-Channel 1920 Gbps Full-Duplex Optical Fiber Coherent Communication System Based on Dual Polarization-64 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation for 5G Fronthaul

Abstract

This article presents a bidirectional optical fiber communication system employing Dual Polarization-64 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation and Digital Signal Processing (DP-64QAM and DSP). With sixteen channels operating at 120 Gb/s each, the system achieves a total capacity of 1920 Gbps. OptiSystem V.19 software simulations confirm compliance with ITU-T 5G fronthaul requirements in G-series Recommendations-Supplement 66. Performance evaluation focuses on Bit Error Rate (BER), incorporating an Optical Signal-to-Noise Ratio (OSNR) and an adaptable optical span. Simulation results establish the system’s suitability as an F1 and Fx 5G fronthaul link for functional splits of 1 to 7c, aligning with ITU-T stipulations (<120 Gbps per channel). The design employs a bidirectional single-mode optical fiber for up to 13 km and 13.5 km distances in downlinks and uplinks. Incorporating two Dispersion Compensator Filters (DCFs) extends this to 19.5 km. This enhancement underscores the adaptability for real-world applications, particularly in extended-range scenarios necessitating robust and high-capacity communication links.