Modulation Classification Using Received Signal’s Amplitude Distribution for Coherent Receivers

In this letter, we propose a modulation classification algorithm, which is based on the received signal’s amplitude for coherent optical receivers. The proposed algorithm classifies the modulation format from several possible candidates by differentiating the cumulative distribution function (cdf) curves of their normalized amplitudes. The candidate with the most similar cdf to the received signal is selected. The measure of similarity is the minimum average distance between these cdfs. Five commonly used quadrature amplitude modulation formats in digital coherent optical systems are employed. Optical back-to-back experiments and extended simulations are carried out to investigate the performance of the proposed algorithm. Results show that the proposed algorithm achieves accurate classification at optical signal-to-noise ratios of interest. Furthermore, it does not require carrier recovery.