Performance evaluation of intensity modulation-direct detection Radio over Fiber systems with a MB-OFDM signal

This paper presents performance comparisons of systems based on Radio over Fiber (RoF) links with an intensity modulation-direct detection technique (IM-DD). Measurement and simulation results on systems using direct and external modulations with a MB-OFDM signal are presented. The first band group of the centimeter-wave ultra wideband with a 16 QAM advanced modulation format and a data rate of 480 Mb/s is used to validate system simulation. The error vector magnitude (EVM) and the bit error rate (BER) for digital modulated signals enable to quantify the quality of the received signal. The system simulations are performed with developed equivalent electrical models of optoelectronic components. These models including noise and nonlinearity are validated with static/dynamic responses and noise measurements. Global system simulation is achieved by a co-simulation method in ADS combining envelope simulator and data flow controller for digital signals.