Asymptotic clipping noise distribution and its impact on M-ary QAM transmission over optical fiber

Performance analysis for a hybrid subcarrier-multiplexed (SCM) AM/QAM transmission over an optical fiber is presented. It is shown that the bit-error-rate (BER) of M-ary QAM in such hybrid systems can be significantly affected due to occasional laser “clipping” of the SCM signal. Here we analytically determine the asymptotic distribution of the clipping noise by modeling it as a Poisson impulse train. The BER of M-ary QAM is then evaluated in terms of optical modulation indices of M-ary QAM and AM signals which in turn specify signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), impulsive index (clipping index) of the clipping noise, and power ratio of the Gaussian noise to the clipping noise. Numerical examples are given and compared with experimental data with reasonably good agreement for small SNR´s. The results have application for estimating the BER´s of digital signals for SCM analog/digital transmission over an optical fiber and for employing appropriate error correction codes and/or optimum receiver design for such environments