Comprehensive moment generating function characterisation of optically preamplified receivers

An accurate and soundly based representation of the complex stochastic processes encountered with optical preamplification in direct detection receivers is obtained. The objective of this study is the identification of a comprehensive moment generating function (MGF) characterisation for practical optically preamplified receivers. To effect this the authors build on a skeleton abstract formulation outlines some time ago with only limited physical and structural interpretation by Personick IEEE Trans. Comm., COM-25, p.541 (1977). Here they develop a MGF for the postdetection noise processes which takes into account a comprehensive set of key amplifier and receiver parameters, including gain and spontaneous noise characteristics of the semiconductor laser amplifier (SLA), amplifier fact reflectivity, bandwidth of the associated optical filter and postdetection electrical receiver filter characteristics