Flexible multi-dimensional modulation method for elastic optical networks

We demonstrate a flexible multi-dimensional modulation method for elastic optical networks. We compare the flexible multi-dimensional modulation formats PM-kSC-mQAM with traditional modulation formats PM-mQAM using numerical simulations in back-to-back and wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) transmission (50 GHz-spaced) scenarios at the same symbol rate of 32 Gbaud. The simulation results show that PM-kSC-QPSK and PM-kSC-16QAM can achieve obvious back-to-back sensitivity gain with respect to PM-QPSK and PM-16QAM at the expense of spectral efficiency reduction. And the WDM transmission simulation results show that PM-2SC-QPSK can achieve 57.5% increase in transmission reach compared to PM-QPSK, and 48.5% increase for PM-2SC-16QAM over PM-16QAM. Furthermore, we also experimentally investigate the back to back performance of PM-2SC-QPSK, PM-4SC-QPSK, PM-2SC-16QAM and PM-3SC-16QAM, and the experimental results agree well with the numerical simulations.