Eye-Diagram-Based Evaluation of RZ and NRZ Modulation Methods in a 10-Gb/s Single-Channel and a 160-Gb/s WDM Optical Networks

In this evaluation, we have compared two popular return to zero (RZ) and non-return to zero (NRZ) modulation formats in a 100-km and 400-km single-channel and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks for bit rate of 10-Gb/s and 160-Gb/s, respectively, by using Optisystem software. The results showed the better performance of the RZ technique in tolerating the non-linear effects and noisy environments. It’s shown that NRZ technique is a good option for single-channel networks and long-haul WDM links. The obtained evaluation results show that the RZ technique is a better choice for short-distance WDM links.