An optical transmitter transmits a data signal. The optical transmitter has an encoder configured to encode the data signal by selecting based on a bit sequence a first symbol and a second symbol from a set of four symbols for each one of at least two transmission time slots. The optical transmitter further has a modulator configured to use in each transmission time slot the first symbol to modulate a first carrier wave and the second symbol to modulate a second carrier wave, and to transmit the two carrier waves over orthogonal polarizations of an optical carrier. Symbols in consecutive transmission time slots have non-identical polarization states.

An optical transmitter transmits a data signal. The optical transmitter has an encoder configured to encode the data signal by selecting based on a bit sequence a first symbol and a second symbol from a set of four symbols for each one of at least two transmission time slots. The optical transmitter further has a modulator configured to use in each transmission time slot the first symbol to modulate a first carrier wave and the second symbol to modulate a second carrier wave, and to transmit the two carrier waves over orthogonal polarizations of an optical carrier. Symbols in consecutive transmission time slots have non-identical polarization states.

A method for all-optical reduction of inter-channel crosstalk for spectrally overlapped optical signals for maximizing utilization of an available spectrum includes receiving a plurality of spectrally overlapped optical signals modulated with data. The method further includes generating conjugate copies of each of the plurality of optical signals using non-linear optics. The method further includes selecting the conjugate copies and adjusting an amplitude, a phase, and a delay of the conjugate copies. The method further includes performing inter-channel interference (ICI) compensation on the spectrally overlapped optical signals in an optical domain by adding the adjusted conjugate copies to the spectrally overlapped optical signals.

A method for all-optical reduction of inter-channel crosstalk for spectrally overlapped optical signals for maximizing utilization of an available spectrum includes receiving a plurality of spectrally overlapped optical signals modulated with data. The method further includes generating conjugate copies of each of the plurality of optical signals using non-linear optics. The method further includes selecting the conjugate copies and adjusting an amplitude, a phase, and a delay of the conjugate copies. The method further includes performing inter-channel interference (ICI) compensation on the spectrally overlapped optical signals in an optical domain by adding the adjusted conjugate copies to the spectrally overlapped optical signals.

A receiving apparatus includes a first processor configured to compensate, in a perturbation back-propagation (PBP) scheme, waveform degradation of an optical signal by traveling an optical transmission line due to a nonlinear optical effect; a memory; and a second processor coupled to the memory and the second processor configured to change a gamma coefficient to be used in the PBP scheme, measure reception quality of the optical signal for each of gamma coefficients obtained by the changing, specify a gamma coefficient in accordance with the reception quality from among the gamma coefficients obtained by the changing, and set the specified gamma coefficient as a parameter of the PBP scheme.

A receiving apparatus includes a first processor configured to compensate, in a perturbation back-propagation (PBP) scheme, waveform degradation of an optical signal by traveling an optical transmission line due to a nonlinear optical effect; a memory; and a second processor coupled to the memory and the second processor configured to change a gamma coefficient to be used in the PBP scheme, measure reception quality of the optical signal for each of gamma coefficients obtained by the changing, specify a gamma coefficient in accordance with the reception quality from among the gamma coefficients obtained by the changing, and set the specified gamma coefficient as a parameter of the PBP scheme.

A compensation apparatus and method for inter-channel nonlinear damage are disclosed where the apparatus includes: an iteration parameter determining unit configured to determine an iteration step of cross-phase modulation damage compensation performed in each channel in a multichannel optical fiber transmission link; an estimating unit configured to divide an optical fiber transmission link in each iteration step of each channel into one or more optical fiber segments, and perform cross-phase modulation damage estimation at a position in each optical fiber segment where the nonlinear damage is maximal; and a first compensating unit configured to perform cross-phase modulation damage compensation according to the result of the cross-phase modulation damage estimation. By performing cross-phase modulation damage estimation at a position in each optical fiber segment where the nonlinear damage is maximal, cross-phase modulation damage compensation may be performed effectively, and performance of the communication system may be improved.

A compensation apparatus and method for inter-channel nonlinear damage are disclosed where the apparatus includes: an iteration parameter determining unit configured to determine an iteration step of cross-phase modulation damage compensation performed in each channel in a multichannel optical fiber transmission link; an estimating unit configured to divide an optical fiber transmission link in each iteration step of each channel into one or more optical fiber segments, and perform cross-phase modulation damage estimation at a position in each optical fiber segment where the nonlinear damage is maximal; and a first compensating unit configured to perform cross-phase modulation damage compensation according to the result of the cross-phase modulation damage estimation. By performing cross-phase modulation damage estimation at a position in each optical fiber segment where the nonlinear damage is maximal, cross-phase modulation damage compensation may be performed effectively, and performance of the communication system may be improved.

A method of transmitting a data signal using an optical transmitter of an optical communications system. The optical transmitter is configured to modulate an optical carrier in successive signalling intervals to generate an optical signal. A modulation scheme is provided which comprises a multi-dimensional symbol constellation. The modulation scheme is designed such that an average degree of polarization of a modulated optical signal output from the optical transmitter has a first value when averaged across a first signalling interval, and has a second value when averaged across more than one and fewer than 100 signalling intervals. The second value is less than 10 percent of the first value. During run-time, an encoder of the optical transmitter encoding a data signal to be transmitted as symbols of the constellation, and a modulator of the optical transmitter modulating available dimensions of the optical carrier in accordance with the symbols.

A method of transmitting a data signal using an optical transmitter of an optical communications system. The optical transmitter is configured to modulate an optical carrier in successive signalling intervals to generate an optical signal. A modulation scheme is provided which comprises a multi-dimensional symbol constellation. The modulation scheme is designed such that an average degree of polarization of a modulated optical signal output from the optical transmitter has a first value when averaged across a first signalling interval, and has a second value when averaged across more than one and fewer than 100 signalling intervals. The second value is less than 10 percent of the first value. During run-time, an encoder of the optical transmitter encoding a data signal to be transmitted as symbols of the constellation, and a modulator of the optical transmitter modulating available dimensions of the optical carrier in accordance with the symbols.