Performance analysis of interferometric noise due to unequally powered interferers in optical networks

Interferometric crosstalk has been identified as the cause of performance limits in future transparent all-optical networks. A large number of studies have been conducted on this phenomenon using a vast array of evaluation techniques. However, most major studies have considered that although the interfering terms may differ in number, the power contribution that they all make will be identical for all interfering terms. Although this situation is easy to analyze, it does not necessarily represent the situation that is likely to occur in a real network, which will be constructed of nodes with different degrees of connectivity, quite possibly from different vendors, and therefore with differing crosstalk characteristics. This paper describes a study on the impact of unequally powered interfering terms using a rigorous analysis technique. To validate the use of the chosen technique, the paper begins by benchmarking a number of common evaluation techniques against empirically derived, experimentally verified noise performance formulas.