Multilevel polarization shift keying: optimum receiver structure and performance evaluation

Multilevel digital coherent optical modulation schemes based on the state of polarization of a fully polarized lightwave are proposed and analyzed. Based on the complete statistical characterization of the Stokes parameters, extracted through appropriate signal processing in the presence of shot and additive Gaussian noise, the optimum maximum likelihood receiver operating symbol by symbol is derived. The exact performance in terms of the average symbol error probability is found. Optimum constellations for the case of equipower 4, 8, 16 and 32 signals are found on the basis of the minimization of the error probability for a given average power. Their performance turns out to be promising as compared to other standard modulation techniques. The spectral analysis of polarization modulated signals is presented. A new receiver structure, which solves the problem of the excess penalties incurred in the presence of channel dichroism, is proposed and analyzed. >