A centralized-light-source WDM access network utilizing inverse-RZ downstream signal with upstream data remodulation

We propose and demonstrate employing inverse-return-to-zero (IRZ) downstream signal format to facilitate upstream data remodulation in a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) passive optical network (PON) architecture with centralized light sources. The finite optical power in each downstream IRZ bit can be simply remodulated by the upstream data at the optical network unit. This can make each downstream and upstream pair share a single light source and such light reuse can be easily realized. An experiment on 10-Gb/s downstream IRZ signal generation, 2.5-Gb/s upstream signal remodulation, and two-way transmission is successfully demonstrated. The downstream/upstream signal performance in such a PON has also been analyzed, which is useful for system design.