Advanced modulation formats for fiber optic communication systems

Choice of modulation format plays a critical role in the design and performance of fiber optic communication systems. We discuss the basic physics of electro-optic phase and amplitude modulation and derive model transfer functions for ideal and non-ideal Mach-Zehnder modulators. We describe the generation and characteristics of the standard nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ) modulation format, as well as advanced formats such as return-to-zero (RZ), carrier-suppressed RZ (CSRZ), duobinary, modified duobinary, differential phase-shift keyed (DPSK), and return-to-zero DPSK (RZ-DPSK). Finally, we discuss the relative merits of these formats with respect to a variety of system impairments.