Abstract

In an intensity modulated direct-detection (IMDD) optical communication system an external modulator is often used to avoid the effect of laser diode chirping. Even so, the phase noise of the laser diode at the transmitter can be converted into intensity noise by the chromatic dispersion of the single-mode fiber and therefore cause a power penalty.^1,2 Equations for calculating this phase to intensity noise conversion have been given previously.³ In this paper, we use these results to assess the effect of such noise on an IMDD system using an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) as a receiver preamplifier. The power penalty caused by this noise is presented so that it may be used in system design.

© 1992 Optical Society of America