Improved optical coding method for orthogonal ASK/DPSK modulation format

Orthogonal ASK/DPSK labeling, which encodes label information on optical carriers in a modulation format, is regarded as a competing scheme to subcarrier multiplexed optical labeling. However, the inherent cross-talk limits the extinction ratio (ER) of the payload and label sensitivity. In this paper, two optical coding methods-Manchester coding and 8B10B coding-which can remarkably improve the system quality to obtain acceptable ER are discussed. A novel optical packet encoding method-mark-insertion coding-is demonstrated to significantly reduce cross-talk between the amplitude shift keying (ASK) payload and the differential phase shift keying (DPSK) label through spectrum shaping. The performance of mark-insertion coding depends on the number of inserted ‘marks’. Finally, the transmission over a 40 km single mode fiber (SMF) is compared with optical label swapping for a 40 Gbit/s ASK payload and 2.5 Gbit/s DPSK label under these coding schemes. The experimental result is consistent with the theoretical analysis.