Method and apparatus for dispersion management in optical mesh networks
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for dispersion management in hybrid data rate long haul mesh networks are provided. The apparatus comprises a dispersion compensator for fully compensating the residual dispersion of a fiber link in the mesh network. A de-interleaver is coupled to the dispersion compensator for de-interleaving odd and even channels of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals transmitted across the fiber link. A delay device is coupled to the de-interleaver for introducing a delay to the odd channels or the even channels of the WDM signals to decorrelate the odd and even channels and substantially reduce inter-channel cross-phase modulation.
1. A reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) apparatus for use in a hybrid data rate optical mesh network comprising:
a dispersion compensator for fully compensating the residual dispersion of a fiber link in the network;
a de-interleaver coupled to the dispersion compensator for de-interleaving odd and even channels of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals transmitted across the fiber link; and
a delay device coupled to the de-interleaver for introducing a delay to the odd channels or the even channels of the WDM signals to decorrelate the odd and even channels to substantially reduce inter-channel cross-phase modulation.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersion compensator comprises dispersion compensating fiber.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the delay device comprises a fiber jumper of a predetermined length for introducing a desired delay.
4. An optical mesh network comprising:
a plurality of reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs), each including:
a dispersion compensator for fully compensating the residual dispersion of a fiber link in the network;
a de-interleaver coupled to the dispersion compensator for de-interleaving odd and even channels of a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal; and
a delay device coupled to the de-interleaver for introducing a delay to the odd channels or the even channels of the WDM signal to decorrelate the odd and even channels to substantially reduce inter-channel cross-phase modulation.
5. A method for dispersion management in a hybrid data rate optical mesh network comprising the steps of:
fully compensating the residual dispersion of a fiber link (RDPL) at at least one node in the network;
de-interleaving odd and even channels of a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal; and
introducing a delay between odd and even channels of the WDM signal to decorrelate odd and even channels to substantially reduce inter-channel cross-phase modulation.