Release date January, 2002

Download more Info www.acterna.com

Contact person Jerome Laferriere Strategic Marketing Manager Tel : +33 477478914 Fax: +33477478970 E-mail: jerome.laferriere@acterna.com

Chromatic dispersion requirements

The need for chromatic dispersion (CD) testing in the field: different technologies are available

Executive summary The pressures imposed by a competitive market entail that service providers upgrade and maintain their networks continuously to ensure that they are capable of delivering higher-speed, higher-quality applications and services to customers. This creates a need to verify and make sure that the networks fiber infrastructure and equipment can meet exacting performance standards and operate reliably. As a result of the emergence of DWDM networks, some important changes were made in the optical fiber characterization and system turn-up. Consequently new test tools and procedures were needed. These are explained in the Acterna white papers: 1625nm requirements, Optical spectrum analyzer methods, and Polarization mode dispersion requirements.

This paper discusses one particular aspect of the evolving requirements in system turn-up, namely, the need for chromatic dispersion (CD) testing. This measurement, critical for fiber manufacturers, will have a strong impact in high bit rate DWDM systems, and therefore will also be tested by fiber installers and operators.

Chromatic dispersion (CD) definition Chromatic dispersion (CD) is caused by the variation of the fiber index with the wavelength. This generates delay between wavelengths and broadens the transmission pulse as it travels along the fiber. This, in turn, provokes distortion and increases bit-error-rate ratio (BER) of the optical system. As a result, a link distance limit is created for a given transmission bit rate, and, for dispersion-shifted fiber (G.653 ITU-T standard), unequal channel spacing around 1550 nm is imposed in order to avoid fiber non-linearities such as four wave mixing. Chromatic dispersion is defined using three main parameters: Delay for a given wavelength (in ps) Dispersion coefficient (D given in ps/(nm.km) or ps/nm if it is not normalized to 1 km). This corresponds to the derivative of the delay according to wavelength (or slope of the delay curve at a given wavelength) Slope (S given in ps/(nm2.km)). This corresponds to the derivative of the dispersion coefficient according to the wavelength (or slope of the dispersion curve at a given wavelength)

As dispersion coefficient and slope figures take into account the fiber link distance (which may be different to the cable distance, due to the helix factor) to be normalized to 1 km, it is important to get the fiber link distance accurate. Otherwise this would render the measurements inaccurate; a 10 percent error in distance will generate 10 percent error in dispersion measurement. The main cause of the dispersion variation is the fiber manufacturing process. This is one of the most important characteristics of fiber. Cable manufacturers manipulate the chromatic dispersion to produce different types of fibers for different applications and requirements. For example standard fiber, dispersion shifted fiber and non zero dispersion shifted fiber.

Typical traces according to fiber types are given below (figure 1). ITU-T standards require the following to be measured (example with G.652): Zero dispersion wavelength, which is between 1300 nm and 1324 nm Slope for the zero dispersion wavelength, which shall be 0.093 ps/(nm2.km) maximum Two dispersion coefficient limits between 1260 nm and 1360 nm. Chromatic dispersion figures do not vary according to time and installation constraints, and have low sensitivity to temperature (0.0025 ps/(nm.km.C) for the coefficient, and 0.0025 ps/ (nm2.km.C) for S0). The only external parameter that can affect the chromatic dispersion is the modulation type of the signal itself (most of the DFB lasers are now provided with external modulation to limit this effect).

Fiber type
Standard single-mode fiber (ITU-T G.652) Dispersion-shifted single-mode fiber (ITU-T G.653) Non-zero dispersionshifted single-mode fiber (ITU-TUG.655)

Dispersion coefficient at 1550 nm

+17 ps/(nm.km) 0 ps/(nm.km)

+3 ps/(nm.km)

20 G652 standard SMF (Unshifted dispersion) 10 G655 Non zero disp. SMF Dispersion (ps/nm.km) 0 G653 Dispersion shifted SMF -10

-20

1200

1300

1400 Wavelength (nm)

1500

1600

gure 1

A chromatic dispersion analyzer provides fiber link group delay values as a function of the wavelength. From this delay it is possible to calculate dispersion coefficient, dispersion slope, and specific values such as the wavelength with zero dispersion and associated slope. The chromatic dispersion measurement principle is described in the IEC 60793-1-42 document, as well as in the ITU-T G.650 and G.652 recommendations, and instrument calibration is defined in the IEC 61744 document. Telcordia has also published the GR-761-CORE requirements for chromatic dispersion analyzers. A list of standards dealing with chromatic dispersion is provided in table 1 below.

CD methods There are different ways of measuring CD. Four methods will be described in this document, as they could be used in the field. The fifth one is more for production/lab purposes (MachZehnder interferometric method which can be used to qualify short links of less than 1 km, with the use of a 2 m fiber sample). All the described methods (apart from the first one) take delay measurements at different wavelengths, and, from those measurements, calculate the delay for the other wavelengths using a numerical fitting algorithm. From the resulting delay trace, the dispersion coefficient and the dispersion slope as a function of wavelength are then provided. Different fits are used according to the fiber under test, as shown in table 2.

Standards
ITU-T G.650 ITU-T G.652 ITU-T G.653 ITU-T G.655 IEC 60793-1-1 IEC 60793-1-42 IEC 61744 TIA/EIA FOTP-168 TIA/EIA FOTP-169 TIA/EIA FOTP-175 GR-761-CORE GR-2854-CORE GR-253-CORE
table 1

Description
Definition and test methods for the relevant parameters of single-mode fibers Characteristics of a single-mode optical fiber cable Characteristics of a dispersion-shifted single-mode optical fiber cable Characteristics of a non-zero dispersion-shifted single-mode optical fiber cable Optical fibers part 1-1: generic specification general Optical fibers part 1-42: measurement methods and test procedures chromatic dispersion Calibration of fiber optic chromatic dispersion test sets Chromatic dispersion measurement of multimode graded-index and single-mode optical fibers by spectral group delay measurement in the time domain Chromatic dispersion measurement of single-mode optical fibers by the phase-shift method Chromatic dispersion measurement of single-mode optical fibers by the differential phase-shift method Generic criteria for chromatic dispersion test sets Generic requirements for fiber optic dispersion compensators Synchronous optical network (SONET) transport system

A. Simple calculation for known fibers Principle Operators who already know their fibers, can get the chromatic dispersion of their link easily by just adding together the values of each section of the corresponding link. As chromatic dispersion does not vary with time from manufacturing to installation, this simple method is applicable. Benefits and limits This is a simple and accurate method. However, it requires that the operator knows the fiber characteristics of the networks.

B. Pulse delay method (time-of-flight) Equipment The pulse delay method requires a set of laser sources or a tunable laser source that can be pulsed, a variable attenuator and a sampling oscilloscope (figure 2). This is standardized by the TIA/EIA FOTP-168 Chromatic dispersion measurement of multimode graded index and single mode optical fibers by spectral group delay measurement in the time domain. Alternatively, an OTDR (optical time domain reflectometer) with multiple lasers can be used. Another similar method is the photon counting with the use of Bragg gratings.

Principle The time difference (time delay) between the different wavelengths at the end of the link is measured (see figure 3 below). The chromatic dispersion of the tested fiber is then calculated using the right fitting algorithm of the fiber type under test. Benefits and limits This method is suitable for fiber lengths greater than 1 km. One benefit of this method is that it does not require communication between the near-end and far-end instrument. Another benefit of this method is that the distance of the link can be measured at the same time. As dispersion measurements are standardized with 1 km, it is important to get an accurate value of this distance.

Dispersion unshifted fiber

ITU-T standard type IEC standard type TIA/EIA standard type Zero dispersion wavelength Relevant curve fitting in the 1310 nm region Relevant curve fitting in the 1550 nm region Relevant curve fitting for the full range
table 2

Dispersion shifted fiber

ITU-T G.653 IEC 60793-1-1 type B2 IVb Around 1550 nm 5-term Sellmeier: A+B2+C-2+D4+E-4 Quadratic: A+B+C2 5-term Sellmeier: A+B2+C-2+D4+E-4

Non zero dispersion shifted fiber or inhomogeneous fiber

ITU-T G.655 IEC 60793-1-1 type B3 IVb Not too far from 1550 nm or undefined 5-term Sellmeier: A+B2+C-2+D4+E-4 5-term Sellmeier: A+B2+C-2+D4+E-4 5-term Sellmeier: A+B2+C-2+D4+E-4

ITU-T G.652 IEC 60793-1-1 type B1 IVa Around 1310 nm 3-term Sellmeier: A+B2+C-2 5-term Sellmeier: A+B2+C-2+D4+E-4 5-term Sellmeier: A+B2+C-2+D4+E-4

Fiber link

Attenuator Laser sources Oscilloscope Reference fiber

gure 2

1 2

Fiber link

Delay

gure 3

Benefits and limits of the alternative OTDR method The main benefit of the OTDR method is that it can analyze the link from one end only, and in sections, that is, not just the full link. This is convenient for troubleshooting and maintenance purposes, or characterization of fiber links that are leased by different operators. Another benefit of the OTDR method is to provide three functions in one solution: sources (four), CD and OTDR. Ideally, two types of OTDRs should be used. A four wavelength OTDR (for example 1310, 1470, 1550, 1625 nm to cover the full telecom wavelength range) is ideal for fiber characterization. A tunable OTDR (for example in

the 1550 nm range to cover the useful transmission band) is more suitable for system characterization because it can be tuned to the appropriate wavelength range for active bidirectional components such as amplifiers, circulators, etc. (for example, amplifiers are only amplifying the 1520-1570 nm range, so the lasers should be within this range). It can also be used to qualify dispersion compensators in their own wavelength range. Non-bidirectional components inserted in the middle of the link (such as some amplifiers) are not compatible with chromatic dispersion measurement with an OTDR.

C. Phase-shift delay method Equipment The phase-shift delay method requires a tunable laser source (or a set of laser sources) that can be modulated, a variable attenuator and a phase meter (figure 4). This is standardized by the TIA/EIA FOTP-169 Chromatic dispersion measurement of single-mode optical fibers by the phase-shift method. Principle The phase-shift incurred by a sinusoidally amplitude modulated light source is measured by the phase meter and compared to a reference signal (figure 5). From this, group delay and chromatic dispersion are calculated. Using the fitting algorithm (as described above) with the delay results, the delay and dispersion are calculated for all the useful wavelength range. A fiber reference link provides the reference signal to the phase meter.

Fiber link Amplitude modulated laser sources

Attenuator Phase meter Reference fiber

gure 4

1 2 Fiber link

gure 5

Delay

Benefits and limits Suitable for fiber lengths greater than 1 km. Quite accurate over the source range, however less accurate than the differential phase shift delay method. Requires two pieces of equipment, one at each fiber end. Requires the connection of a reference fiber and a tested fiber. Does not provide link distance information, so the fiber distance must be measured with a different instrument to get accurate values of dispersion, as they are relative to 1 km. Moreover, it provides only the overall dispersion, which may be cumbersome if the need is to identify and locate the high dispersion fiber section. Cannot be used to characterize the fiber over the full telecom range (1300-1650 nm) accurately, as the tunable laser is mainly addressing a narrowed band. The fitting will not be as accurate, except if a set of tunable lasers are used. If a compensator is installed, one cannot get the zero dispersion wavelength and corresponding slope if this wavelength is not within the source/measurement band. In fact, it is not possible to apply curve fitting techniques across the full telecom range for a given fiber link because the compensator modifies the dispersion figures.

D. Differential phase-shift delay method Equipment The differential phase-shift method requires a tunable laser source (or a set of laser sources) which can be modulated, a variable attenuator and a phase meter (figure 6). This is standardized by the TIA/EIA FOTP-175 Chromatic dispersion measurement of optical fibers by the differential phase-shift method. Principle This method measures dispersion (and not only group delay) directly. Using the same principle as the previous method, it sends two (instead of one) adjacent amplitude modulated wavelengths. At the end of the link, the difference in phase between the two signals divided by the corresponding wavelength values provides the dispersion directly. Using curve fitting, the dispersion slope and zero dispersion wavelengths are then calculated. A fiber reference link provides the reference signal to the phase meter. For the wavelengths of the tunable laser source, it is not necessary to use any curve fitting, as chromatic dispersion values are directly measured. For a broader wavelength

range (or between measurement wavelengths), from the data obtained by the different wavelengths, a numerical fitting calculation as previously described is performed to provide the dispersion coefficient and the dispersion slope as a function of wavelength, as well as the wavelength with zero dispersion and associated slope.

Fiber link Amplitude modulated laser sources Reference fiber Wavelength selector and phase meter

Attenuator

gure 6

Benefits and limits Suitable for fiber lengths greater than 1 km. Most accurate over the source range. Requires two pieces of equipment, one at each fiber end. Requires the connection of a reference fiber and a tested fiber. Does not provide link distance information, so the fiber distance must be measured with a different instrument to get accurate values of dispersion, as they are relative to 1 km. Moreover, it provides only the overall dispersion, which may be cumbersome if the need is to identify the cause of the high dispersion and locate the high dispersion fiber section. Cannot be used to characterize the fiber over the full telecom range (1300-1650 nm) accurately, as current tunable lasers are mainly addressing a narrowed band. So the fitting will not be as accurate, except if a set of tunable lasers are used. If a compensator is installed, the zero dispersion wavelength and corresponding slope cannot be obtained if this specific wavelength is not within the source/measurement band. In fact, it is not possible to apply curve fitting techniques across the full telecom range for a given fiber link because the compensator modifies the dispersion figures.

When should I test CD with my links? Chromatic dispersion measurement is only required for: Ugrade of current networks for 10 Gbps bit rate or more Installation of new fiber networks, for 10 Gbps bit rate or more Qualification of fiber and component during manufacturing CD requirements are always linked to the transmission bit rate per channel and the corresponding distance. This is also an important parameter for dispersion shifted fibers (ITU-T G.653), as the wavelength with zero dispersion must not be in the channel range, as this is generating four wave mixing and then forcing unequal channel spacing.

There is one typical table available which can be used to provide the delay limit according to the transmission bit rate per channel (see table below). As a rule of thumb (according to Telcordia common generic criteria GR-253-CORE Synchronous optical network (SONET) transport system), the dispersive broadening generated by the chromatic dispersion delay should not exceed 0.306 times the NRZ timeslot:

Bit rate per channel

51 Mbps 155 Mbps 622 Mbps 1.2 Gbps 2.5 Gbps 10 Gbps 40 Gbps
table 3

SDH
STM-1 STM-4 STM-16 STM-64 STM-256

SONET
OC-1 OC-3 OC-12 OC-24 OC-48 OC-192 OC-768

Equivalent timeslot
19.3 ns 6.43 ns 1.61 ns 803 ps 401 ps 100 ps 25.12 ps

Maximum allowable time delay at 1550 nm

5.9 ns 1.97 ns 492 ps 246 ps 123 ps 30 ps 7.8 ps

A similar table is also provided by ITU standards, giving maximum distances for different transmission bit rates and fiber types, and at around 1550 nm:
Bit rate per channel (Gbps)
2.5 Gbps 10 Gbps 40 Gbps

SDH
STM-16 STM-64 STM-256

SONET
OC-48 OC-192 OC-768

G.652 SSMF
640 km 50-100 km 5 km

G.655 NZ-DSF
4400 km 300-500 km 20-30 km

Another table is providing the maximum allowable accumulated chromatic dispersion for a 1 dB penalty as a function of bit rate (R, given in Gbps). This is approximated by the following formula: D < 105/R2.
Data rate SDH SONET Total allowable dispersion coefficient at 1550 nm for a given link (not normalized to 1 km)
12000 to 16000 ps/nm 800 to 1000 ps/nm 60 to 100 ps/nm

What to do with this measurement? If the chromatic dispersion limits are reached, then appropriate chromatic dispersion compensators can be implemented along the link to reverse this effect. Those compensators provide negative delay values in order to enable the system, together with the compensator, to be within acceptable CD limits. Telcordia provides specifications with GR-2854-CORE Generic requirements for fiber optic dispersion compensators. If internally-modulated lasers are used, then other externally-modulated lasers can also be implemented to improve the dispersion (most of the DFB lasers are now provided with external modulation to limit this effect).

2.5 Gbps 10 Gbps 40 Gbps

STM-16 STM-64 STM-256

OC-48 OC-192 OC-768

Standards such as ITU-T with G.dsn are working in order to provide more accurate tables. These tables are for information only, and depend on transmitter laser spectral bandwidth, the modulation scheme, and the receiver sensitivity.

Worldwide Headquarters 20400 Observation Drive Germantown, Maryland 20876-4023 USA Acterna is present in more than 80 countries. To find your local sales office go to: www.acterna.com

Regional Sales Headquarters North America 20400 Observation Drive Germantown, Maryland 20876-4023 USA Toll Free: +1 866 228 3762 Tel: +1 301 353 1550 Fax:+1 301 444 8468 Latin America Av. Eng. Luis Carlos Berrini 936/8 e 9 andares 04571-000 So Paulo SP-Brazil Tel: +55 11 5503 3800 Fax:+55 11 5505 1598 Asia Pacific 42 Clarendon Street PO Box 141 South Melbourne Victoria 3205 Australia Tel: +61 3 9690 6700 Fax:+61 3 9690 6750 Western Europe Arbachtalstrae 6 72800 Eningen u.A. Germany Tel: +49 7121 86 2222 Fax:+49 7121 86 1222 Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa Elisabethstrae 36 PO Box 13 2500 Baden Austria Tel: +43 2252 85 521 0 Fax:+43 2252 80 727 1st Neopalimovskiy Per. 15/7 (4th floor) RF 119121 Moscow Russia Tel: +7 095 248 2508 Fax:+7 095 248 4189 Copyright 2002 Acterna, LLC. All rights reserved. Acterna, The Keepers of Communications, and its logo are trademarks of Acterna, LLC. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Major Acterna operations sites are IS0 9001 registered. Note: Specifications, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

CDTESTMTSE/WP/OPT/01-02/AE/ACT00210