JOURNAL OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES, VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4, APRIL 2013

16

Pulse Broadening Induced by Second Order
and Third Order Dispersion in a Dispersive
Fiber
Sher Shermin A. Khan and Md. S. Islam
Abstract As data rates of telecom systems increase, new technical challenges appear, including the adverse effects of signal
broadening caused by second and third order dispersion. The frequency dependence of the propagation velocity leads to pulse
broadening simply because different spectral components of the pulse disperse during propagation and do not arrive
simultaneously at the fiber output; the shorter part of an optical pulse propagates faster than its larger part, resulting in
progressive pulse broadening. To estimate the extent of pulse broadening in single mode fiber, an analytic expression for the
pulse broadening is obtained. It is found that the pulse broadening induced by dispersion fluctuation can be quite large at high
bit rates, and the effect of third order dispersion is also significant at high bit rate.
Index Terms Dispersive fiber, Gaussian pulse, pulse broadening, second order dispersion, third order dispersion.

1 INTRODUCTION
ITH the rapid increase of information industry in
the world, high speed and big capacity communica-
tion networks become more and more insistent. It is well
known that pulse broadening by dispersion becomes the
major obstacle for up-gradation to these fiber optic com-
munication systems [1]. To solve the problem the disper-
sion management techniques need to apply in which the
group velocity dispersion (GVD) is interned along the
fiber link in such a way the average GVD remains closed
to zero [2]. Two mechanisms play important roles in
chromatic dispersion, material dispersion and waveguide
dispersion [3]. Material dispersion is pulse spreading due
to the dispersive properties of the material. The silicas
refractive index is different for various wavelengths. Wa-
veguide dispersion is the pulse broadening due to the
geometric properties of the fiber. The pulse will spread
simply because light is confined within a structure having
different refractive indexes in the core-cladding combina-
tion of the fiber [1]. Environmental changes such as tem-
perature fluctuations can introduce time-dependent
changes in the fiber dispersion. Such changes are relative-
ly small but becomes significant at long transmission link
and at high bit rate [4-5]. In modern transmission systems
the single channel bit rate exceeds 40 Gb/s. It is shown
that the third order dispersion (TOD) of fibers negatively
influences the transmission systems at high bit rate [6].
The pulse broadening induced by dispersion fluctuations
can be quite large in dispersion-managed Lightwave sys-
tems, especially at high bit rates, and can exceed that in-
duced by TOD and polarization mode dispersion [7].
Recently Analytical formulas for pulse width evolution in
optical communication systems are derived using the
Volterra series transfer function, analytically predict the
pulse propagation through optical fiber incorporating
linear and nonlinear effects [8-9].
The pulse broadening factor T(z)/T0 defined as the ra-
tio of optical output width to input pulse width, is widely
used to evaluate the performance of communication sys-
tems as it is a direct way to calculate the effect of disper-
sion on optical transmission systems. In this paper, an
analytical relation for pulse broadening factor in disper-
sive fiber systems is derived. Numerical simulations pro-
vide accurate results but analytical expressions offer great
advantages in estimation of various parameters based on
their influence on system performance. Approximate
formulas with good accuracy for T(z)/T0 as fiber parame-
ters do not vary along fiber length. Formulas for pulse
broadening factor derived based on the idea that the ef-
fect of nonlinearity is zero.
2 ANALYTICAL FORMULATION
2.1 Pulse Propagation in Dispersive Fiber
In a fiber optic communication system, information is
transmitted over a fiber by using a coded sequence of
optical pulses whose width is determined by the bit rate B
of the system. Dispersion-induced broadening of pulses is
undesirable as it interferes with the detection process and
leads to errors if the pulse spread outside its allocated bit
slot (TB = 1/B). Clearly, dispersion limits the bit rate B for
a fixed transmission distance L.
There are several methods that are used to measure the
performance of an optical transmission system. But pulse
broadening factor is a direct performance measure of the

- Sher Shermin A. Khan is with the Department of Computer Science
and Engineering, Central Womens University, Dhaka 1203, Bangla-
desh.
- Md. S. Islam is with the Institute of Information and Communication
Technology (IICT), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Tech-
nology (BUET), Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.


W
17

optical signal detection due to the optical fiber impair-
ments.
The optical pulse propagation in a single mode fiber
can be described by nonlinear Schrdinger equation
(NLSE). This equation includes the effect of fiber losses,
chromatic dispersion and fiber nonlinearity
2 3
2
2 3
2 3
i A i A A i A A A
z 2 2 t 6 t
c o | c | c
= + +
c c c
(1)
Where z is the longitudinal coordinate of the fiber, t is
the time in a framework moving at the group velocity, A
is the complex electrical field envelope, 2 is the second
order dispersion, 3 is the third order dispersion, is the
power absorption coefficient, and is the nonlinear coef-
ficient.
2
2
eff
n
A
t
=

(2)
g
z
t T
v
= (3)
In order to access the effects of dispersion in the propaga-
tion of pulse we can neglect the elect of attenuation con-
stant and nonlinear coefficient so (1) can be written as
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 6
i A A i A
z t t
c | c | c
= +
c c c
(4)
Equation (4) can be solved by using the Fourier transform
method if ( ) , A z e

is the Fourier transform of

( ) , A z t
such that
( ) ( ) ( )
1
, , exp
2
A z t A z i t d

= e e e
t
}

(5)
Differentiating equation (5) with respect to t
( )( ) ( )
1
, exp
2
dA
A z i i t
dt
= e e e
t

(6)
( )
( )
2
2
2
exp
= ,
2
i t d A
A z
dt
e
e e
t

(7)
( )
( )
3
3
3
exp
,
2
i i t d A
A z
dt
e
= e e
t

(8)
Differentiating equation (5) with respect to z
( ) ( )
1
, exp
2
dA
A z i t
dz
= e e
t

(9)
Putting these values in equation (4) can be obtained

2 3 2 3
i 0
2 6
d A
A
dz
| | | |
+ e + e =
|
\ .

(10)
Solution of this equation is given by
( ) ( )
2 3 2 3
, 0, exp
2 6
A z A iz
| | | |
e = e e + e
|
\ .

(11)

Substituting equation (11) in equation (5) can be obtained
( ) ( )
2 3 2 3
1
, 0, exp
2 2 6
A z t A iz i t d

| | ( | |
= e e + e e e
| (
t
\ .
}

(12)
Where ( ) 0, A e

is the Fourier transform of the incident

field at z = 0 and is obtained by
( ) ( ) ( ) 0, 0, exp A A t i t dt

e = e
}
(13)
Eq. (12) can be used to obtained analytical expression for
the output pulse; the RMS pulse width at a distance z is
defined as
( )
1
2 2
2
t z t t
(
A =

(14)
,where
( )
( )
2
2
,
,
n
n
t A z t dt
t
A z t dt

=
}
}
(15)
is the n
th
moment.


2.2 Analytical Expression for Pulse Broadening
Factor
To evaluate the effects of
2
and
3
on pulse propagation
by considering a Gaussian input pulse whose profile is
defined as
( )
2
0 2
0
0, exp
2
t
A t A
T
| |
=
|
\ .
(16)

Where, A
0
is the peak amplitude. The parameter T
0
is
the half-width at 1/e intensity point and related to the full
width at half maximum (FWHM) of the pulse by the rela-
tion
0
2 2ln2
FWHM
T T = (17)
the spectrum of the input pulse is obtained by using the
Fourier transform of ( ) 0, A t which is
( ) ( ) ( ) 0, 0, exp A A t i t dt

e = e
}
(18)

Substituting equation (16) in equation (18) can obtained
( ) ( )
2
0 2
0
0, exp exp
2
t
A A i t dt
T

| |
e = e
|
\ .
}
(19)
By integrating equation (19) acquired
( ) ( )
1/ 2
2 2 2
0 0 0
1
,0 2 exp
2
A A T T
| |
e = t e
|
\ .

(20)
Substituting equation (20) in equation (12) obtained
( ) ( )
1/ 2
2 2 2 2 3 2 3
0 0 0
1 1
, 2 exp exp
2 2 2 6
A z t A T T i z t d

( | | | | | |
= t e e + e e e
` ( | |
t
\ . \ . )
}
(21)
By integrating equation (21) and solving can achieved
( )
( )
( )
2
0
0
1
, exp
2
A t
A z t
Q z T
Q z
(
| |
( =
|
(
\ .

(22)
,where
( )
( )
2
0 2 3
2
0
T iz
Q z
T
| +|
= (23)
2012 JICT
www.jict.co.uk
18

Equation (23) shows that a Gaussian pulse remains Gaus-
sian during propagation but its width and amplitude
change by the factor Q(z).
Equation (22) can be written as
( )
( )
( )
0
, ,
A
A z t h z t
Q z
= (24)
, where
( ) , h z t is the output pulse shape at distance z
and is defined as
( )
( )
2
0
1
, exp
t
h z t
Q z T
(
| |
( =
|
(
\ .

(25)
Substituting equation (24) in (15)
( )
( )
( )
( )
2
0
2
0
,
,
n
n
A
t h z t dt
Q z
t
A
h z t dt
Q z

=
}
}
(26)

( )
( )
2
2
,
,
n
n
t h z t dt
t
h z t dt

=
}
}
(27)

( ) ( ) ( )
2 *
, , , h z t h z t h z t = (28)
, where
( )
*
, h z t is the complex conjugate of
( ) , h z t
( )
( )
2 2
2
0
2
4 2
0 2 3
, exp
t T
h z t
T z
| |
| =
|
+ | +|
\ .
(29)

( )
( )
2
2
2
2
,
,
t h z t dt
t
h z t dt

=
}
}
(30)
Substituting (29) in (30)
( )
( )
2
2 2
2 0
2
4 2
0 2 3
2
2
2 2
0
2
4 2
0 2 3
exp
exp
t T
t dt
T z
t
t T
dt
T z

| |
|
|
+ | +|
\ .
=
| |
|
|
+ | +|
\ .
}
}
(31)

( )
2
4 2
0 2 3 2
2
0
2
T z
t
T
+ | +|
= (32)
( )
( )
2
2 2
0
2
4 2
0 2 3
2
2 2
0
2
4 2
0 2 3
exp
exp
t T
t dt
T z
t
t T
dt
T z

| |
|
|
+ | +|
\ .
=
| |
|
|
+ | +|
\ .
}
}
(33)

since
( )
2
4 2
0 2 3
2
0
exp 0
2
T z
t dt
T

+ | +|
=
}
(34)
because it is an odd function of t.

( )
( )
2
2 2
0
2
4 2
0 2 3
2
2 2
0
2
4 2
0 2 3
exp
0
exp
t T
t dt
T z
t
t T
dt
T z

| |
|
|
+ | +|
\ .
= =
| |
|
|
+ | +|
\ .
}
}
(35)
Substituting equations (32) and (35) in equation (14) and
squaring both sides
( )
( )
2
4 2
0 2 3 2
2
0
2
T z
t z
T
+ | +|
A = (36)
The input root mean square (RMS) pulse width is defined
as
0
0
2
T
t A = (37)

2
2 0
0
2
T
t A = (38)

( ) ( )
2
2 4 2
0 2 3
2 4
0 0
t z T z
t T
A + | +|
=
A
(39)
Pulse broadening factor which is the final to the initial
RMS pulse width ratio is defined as
( ) ( )
1
1
2 2
2 4 2 2
0 2 3
2 4
0 0

t z T z
U
t T
| |
A + | +|
| = =
|
A
\ .
(40)
Equation (40) describes the pulse broadening factor in a
linear dispersive fiber.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Pulse broadening effect for a Gaussian input pulse in
dispersive fiber considering the effect of chromatic
dispersion has been demonstrated. For simulation,
MATLAB software package is used. The set of parameters
used to perform simulations are given in Table 1

TABLE 1
PARAMETERS USED FOR SIMULATION
Parameters Settings
Refractive index of the fiber
core
1.46
Fiber link length Varied
Second order dispersion
2
10-30 ps
2
/km
Third order dispersion
3
5 ps
3
/km
Speed of light 310
8
m/sec
Data rate 10-40 Gb/s
Fiber type
Standard single mode fi-
ber

19

3.1 Second order dispersion
Figure 1 show the pulse broadening factor caused by the
effect of chromatic dispersion in standard single mode
fiber (SSMF) transmission system, operating at the data
rates of 10 Gbps and 40 Gbps while the input power is 60
mW. At bit rate 10 Gbps the pulse broadening factor is
almost constant up to distance 30 km, while at 40 Gbps it
is only 3 km. At 10 Gbps pulse broadening factor be-
comes double at 180 km, while it is 10 km at 40 Gbps. The
width of the pulse get 8 times of the initial width at 700
km when system operate at 10 Gbps but it is only 45 km
when the system operating at 40 Gbps.

Figure 1 show the pulse broadening factor caused by
the effect of different second order dispersion in standard
single mode fiber (SSMF) transmission system, operating
at the data rates of 10 Gbps while the input power is 60
mW. Though the values are almost constant up to 30 Km
for all values of
2
but pulse broadening factor is increas-
ing as the value of
2
is increasing for long distance. At
the distance 200 Km pulse broadening factor is 1.7 for
2
=
10 ps
2
/nm but for
2
= 20 ps
2
/nm it is 2.3.

Figure 2 show the pulse broadening factor caused by
the effect of different second order dispersion in standard
single mode fiber (SSMF) transmission system, operating
at the data rates of 40 Gbps while the input power is 60
mW. Though the values are almost constant up to 3 Km
for all values of
2
but pulse broadening factor is increas-
ing as the value of
2
is increasing for long distance. At
the distance 100 Km pulse broadening factor is 8.5 for
2
=
10 ps
2
/nm but for
2
= 20 ps
2
/nm it is 17.5.

3.2 Third order dispersion
Figure 4 shows the pulse broadening factor caused by the
effect of both second order
2
and third order
3
disper-
sion in SSMF transmission system, operating at the data
rates of 10 Gbps while the input power is 60 mW. At bit
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Fiber length in km
P
u
l
s
e

b
r
o
a
d
e
n
i
n
g

f
a
c
t
o
r
Data rate=10 Gbps Data rate=40 Gbps
Input power= 60 mW

Fig. 1. Pulse broadening factor in SSMF fiber as a function of link
length operating at bit rates 10 Gbps and 40 Gbps with 60 mW
input power considering the effect of 2= 20 ps2/nm.
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Fiber length in km
P
u
l
s
e

b
r
o
a
d
e
n
i
n
g

f
a
c
t
o
r
|
2
=10 ps
2
/nm
|
2
=15 ps
2
/nm
|
2
=20 ps
2
/nm
|
2
=25 ps
2
/nm
|
2
=30 ps
2
/nm

Fig. 2. Pulse broadening factor in SSMF fiber as a function of link
length operating at bit rates 10 Gbps with 60 mW input power
considering the effect of different 2
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Fiber length in km
P
u
l
s
e

b
r
o
a
d
e
n
i
n
g

f
a
c
t
o
r
|
2
=10 ps
2
/nm
|
2
=15 ps
2
/nm
|
2
=20 ps
2
/nm
|
2
=25 ps
2
/nm
|
2
=30 ps
2
/nm

Fig. 3. Pulse broadening factor in SSMF fiber as a function of link
length operating at bit rates 40 Gbps with 60 mW input power consi-
dering the effect of different 2
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
0
5
10
15
Fiber length in km
P
u
l
s
e

b
r
o
a
d
e
n
i
n
g

f
a
c
t
o
r
|
2
|
2
+|
3
Input power = 60 mW
Data rate = 10 Gbps

Fig. 4. Pulse broadening factor in SSMF fiber as a function of link
length operating at bit rates 10 Gbps with 60 mW input power
considering
2
= 20 ps
2
/nm and
3
= 5 ps
3
/nm
20

rate 10 Gbps the pulse broadening factor is almost con-
stant up to distance 50 km. Pulse broadening factor shows
the same results for smaller link length up to 150 km but
the effect of
3
become significant

after this point. The
width of the pulse is 5 of the initial width at 300 km when
considering the effect of both
2
and
3
, while for consi-
dering only
2
it is 3.5.

Figure 5 shows the pulse broadening factor caused by
the effect of both second order and third order dispersion
in standard single mode fiber (SSMF) optical transmission
system, operating at the data rates of 40 Gbps while the
input power is 60 mW. At bit rate 40 Gbps the pulse
broadening factor is almost constant up to distance 9 km.
Pulse broadening factor shows the same results for small-
er link length up to 10 km but the effect of
3
become sig-
nificant

after the point. At link length 200 km the pulse
broadening factor is 35 when considering only
2.
But it is
44 when considering both
2
and
3.

3.3 Initial and broadened pulse
The Fig. 6 shows the plot of pulse regeneration obtained
from linearly chirped FBG for data rate 10 Gbps. Initial
and broadened pulse after transmission through 100 km
of fiber is shown. If the initial pulse propagates over fiber
length L
f
= 100 km it broadened due to dispersive proper-
ties of the optical fiber. The Fig. 7 shows the plot of pulse
regeneration obtained from linearly chirped FBG for data
rate 40 Gbps. Initial and broadened pulse after transmis-
sion through 100 km of fiber is shown.


4 CONCLUSIONS
In this study we have derived a general expression for
pulse broadening factor incorporating both second and
third order dispersion. Some simulation results were pre-
sented to illustrate ability of derived relation. The effect of
second and third order dispersion on the pulse propaga-
tion through SSMF was observed. Our results shows that
the second order dispersion is a major obstacle in trans-
mission systems but the effect of TOD is not significant at
lower bit rate and at small distance, but it become troub-
lesome at high bit rate and long distance. Simulation re-
sults may serve as a prediction model that can be used to
estimate or predict to an extent the actual pulse behavior
in standard transmission link.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Theauthors would like to thank the Committee of Ad-
vanced Studiesand Reeearch (CASR) of Bangladesh Uni-
versity of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka,
Bangladesh for the nancial support fort his resear-
chwork.
REFERENCES
[1] Djafor K. Mynbaev, Lowell L. Scheiner, Fiber Optic Communication Tech-
nology, India, 2001.
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Fiber length in km
P
u
l
s
e

b
r
o
a
d
e
n
i
n
g

f
a
c
t
o
r
|
2
|
2
+|
3
Input power = 60 mW
Data rate = 40 Gbps

Fig. 5. Pulse broadening factor in SSMF fiber as a function of link
length operating at bit rates 40 Gbps with 60 mW input power
considering 2 = 20 ps2/nm and 3= 5 ps3/nm.
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

A
(
z
,
t
)
2
Time T/T0
Initial pulse
Broadened pulse

Fig. 6. Initial and broadened pulse after transmission through 100
km of fiber. Data rate 10 Gbps.
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

A
(
z
,
t
)
2
Time T/T0
Initial pulse
Broadened pulse

Fig. 7. Initial and broadened pulse after transmission through 100
km of fiber. Data rate 40 Gbps.
21

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Sher Shermin A. Khan born in 1979 and
obtained her B.Sc. in Electronics and
Communication Engineering degree from
American International University Ban-
gladesh, Dhaka in 2001. And obtained
her M. Sc. in Information and Communi-
cation Technology (ICT) at Bangladesh
University of Engineering and Technology
(BUET) in 2012. Earlier she obtained
Post Graduate Diploma in ICT from BUET
and was a research student at Hiroshima
University, Japan from October 2003 to March 2004. At present, she
is working as a Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and
Engineering of Central Womens University, Bangladesh since Octo-
ber 2010. Her research interests include fiber Bragg grating, chro-
matic dispersion and semiconductor device simulation.
Mrs. Khan is the Life Member of Bangladesh Computer Society. She
is also the Member of Academic Council of Central Womens Uni-
versity, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Md. S. Islam obtained his B.Sc. in
trical and Electronic Engineering from
Bangladesh University of Engineering
and Technology (BUET), Dhaka in 1989;
M. Sc. in Computer Science and Engi-
neering from Shanghai University, China
in 1997 and Ph. D in Electrical and Elec-
tronic Engineering degree from BUET in
2008. Presently, he is serving as a pro-
fessor in Institute of Information and
Communication Technology of BUET. He
contributed various projects at national
and international levels and published many articles in various re-
search journals. His research interests include nonlinear effects in
optical DWDM transmission system, polarization mode dispersion
and chromatic dispersion, Erbium doped fiber amplifier, distributed
Raman amplifiers, nonlinearity management in long-haul transmis-
sion system. Mr. Islam is the Member of Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and fellow of Institute of Engineers
Bangladesh.