Design of optical communications data links

This paper is primarily an overview of data link design efforts in IBM pertinent to local area networks (LANs) using both multimode fiber (MMF) and single-mode (SMF) links, with emphasis on MMF links operating at short wavelengths. Device models (laser and receiver) and multimode fiber models are discussed, as well as noise aspects (modal and mode partition noise). In addition, new simulation and measurement results for a 20-Gb/s 1-km-long link are presented.