Nonlinear distortion generated by dispersive transmission of chirped intensity-modulated signals

Transmission through dispersive and nonlinear optical fibers produces distortion in subcarrier intensity-modulated systems. Analytic expressions for second- and third-order distortion are derived using the time-domain form of the field envelope wave equation. The distortion predicted by these expressions agrees well with numerical simulation and reasonably well with experimental data. Significant composite second-order distortion is predicted in typical 1.55 mu m cable television systems.<<ETX>>