Evaluation of BER degradation and power limits in WDM networks due to Four-Wave Mixing by Monte-Carlo simulations

Fiber non-linearities can degrade the performance of a Wavelength Division Multiplexing optical network. For high input power, low chromatic dispersion coefficient or low channel spacing the severest penalties are due to Four Wave Mixing (FWM). To compute the Bit Error Rate (BER) due to the FWM noise, the probability density function (pdf) of both the space and mark states must be accurately evaluated. In this paper, an accurate evaluation of the pdf of the FWM noise in the space state is given for the first time using Monte-Carlo (MC) simulations. Additionally, it is shown that the pdf in the mark state is not symmetric as assumed in previous studies. Diagrams are presented which allow the estimation of the pdf given the number of channels in the system. The accuracy of the previous models is also investigated and finally the results of this study are used to estimate the power limits of a WDM system. ©2003 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (060.4230) Multiplexing; (190.4380) Nonlinear optics, four-wave mixing