High Dynamic Range, 100 km Digital Radio-over-Fiber Links

Abstract

This chapter focuses on long-haul radio-over-fiber employing digital quadrature amplitude modulation on radio frequency (RF) subcarriers. It provides an overview of long-haul analog link design, as it can be applied to the RF subcarrier regardless of the modulation. The chapter discusses additional high-dynamic-range and low-noise-figure photonic links. External electro-optic modulation provides larger bandwidth than direct modulation of lasers. The most common wideband analog modulation format is intensity modulation with direct detection employing an external Mach–Zehnder modulator. The performance of a long-haul analog photonic link will typically improve with increased output optical pow..