{"id":{"repo_id":"wustl","oai_identifier":"oai:openscholarship.wustl.edu:eng_etds-1519"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/wustl/oai:openscholarship.wustl.edu:eng_etds-1519","repository":{"repo_id":"wustl","name":"Washington University in St. Louis","base_url":"https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Polarization Division Multiplexing for Optical Data Communications","abstract":"Multiple parallel channels are ubiquitous in optical communications, with spatial division</p>multiplexing (separate physical paths) and wavelength division multiplexing (separate optical</p>wavelengths) being the most common forms. In this research work, we investigate the viability</p>of polarization division multiplexing, the separation of distinct parallel optical communication</p>channels through the polarization properties of light. We investigate polarization division</p>multiplexing based optical communication systems in five distinct parts.</p>In the first part of the work, we define a simulation model of two or more linearly polarized</p>optical signals (at different polarization angles) that are transmitted through a common</p>medium (e.g., air), filtered using aluminum nanowire optical filters fabricated on-chip, and</p>received using individual silicon photodetectors (one per channel). The filter model is based</p>upon an input optical signal formed as the sum of the Stokes vectors for each individual</p>channel, transformed by the Mueller matrix that models the filter proper, resulting in an</p>output optical signal that impinges on each photodiode. The simulation results show that</p>two and three channel systems can operate with a fixed-threshold comparator in the receiver</p>circuit, but four channel systems (and larger) will require channel coding of some form. The entire simulation model is designed in Cadence tools and the receiver (including optics) is</p>compatible with standard CMOS fabrication processes.</p>In the second part of the work, we design and manufacture a two channel chip that is used</p>as the light receiver to confirm the simulation results from the first part of the research.</p>Since logistics for the receiver’s chip testing were not favorable we constrained our testing</p>to single channel operation, which we demonstrated functionality using both electrical and</p>optical inputs. In addition, we used data from a pair of optical imagers (one linear and the</p>second with a logarithmic response) to investigate the noise properties of both the optical</p>and electrical signals within the system.</p>In the third part of the work, we provide examples of channel coding that enable the four</p>channel system to operate with positive noise margins.</p>In the fourth part of the work, we define an end-to-end simulation model of two, three or</p>four channel systems that utilize air, fiber, and a pair of mirrors in the optical path from</p>transmitter to receiver. Each of these systems is shown to have positive noise margins (albeit</p>using channel coding on the four channel editions); however, there are many circumstances</p>where the noise margins are quite small.</p>In the final part of the work, we examine the trade-offs between number of channels, signal</p>power, and noise margins, including the use of pulse amplitude modulation within the two</p>channel system.</p>","abstract_html":"Multiple parallel channels are ubiquitous in optical communications, with spatial division&lt;/p&gt;multiplexing (separate physical paths) and wavelength division multiplexing (separate optical&lt;/p&gt;wavelengths) being the most common forms. In this research work, we investigate the viability&lt;/p&gt;of polarization division multiplexing, the separation of distinct parallel optical communication&lt;/p&gt;channels through the polarization properties of light. We investigate polarization division&lt;/p&gt;multiplexing based optical communication systems in five distinct parts.&lt;/p&gt;In the first part of the work, we define a simulation model of two or more linearly polarized&lt;/p&gt;optical signals (at different polarization angles) that are transmitted through a common&lt;/p&gt;medium (e.g., air), filtered using aluminum nanowire optical filters fabricated on-chip, and&lt;/p&gt;received using individual silicon photodetectors (one per channel). The filter model is based&lt;/p&gt;upon an input optical signal formed as the sum of the Stokes vectors for each individual&lt;/p&gt;channel, transformed by the Mueller matrix that models the filter proper, resulting in an&lt;/p&gt;output optical signal that impinges on each photodiode. The simulation results show that&lt;/p&gt;two and three channel systems can operate with a fixed-threshold comparator in the receiver&lt;/p&gt;circuit, but four channel systems (and larger) will require channel coding of some form. The entire simulation model is designed in Cadence tools and the receiver (including optics) is&lt;/p&gt;compatible with standard CMOS fabrication processes.&lt;/p&gt;In the second part of the work, we design and manufacture a two channel chip that is used&lt;/p&gt;as the light receiver to confirm the simulation results from the first part of the research.&lt;/p&gt;Since logistics for the receiver’s chip testing were not favorable we constrained our testing&lt;/p&gt;to single channel operation, which we demonstrated functionality using both electrical and&lt;/p&gt;optical inputs. In addition, we used data from a pair of optical imagers (one linear and the&lt;/p&gt;second with a logarithmic response) to investigate the noise properties of both the optical&lt;/p&gt;and electrical signals within the system.&lt;/p&gt;In the third part of the work, we provide examples of channel coding that enable the four&lt;/p&gt;channel system to operate with positive noise margins.&lt;/p&gt;In the fourth part of the work, we define an end-to-end simulation model of two, three or&lt;/p&gt;four channel systems that utilize air, fiber, and a pair of mirrors in the optical path from&lt;/p&gt;transmitter to receiver. Each of these systems is shown to have positive noise margins (albeit&lt;/p&gt;using channel coding on the four channel editions); however, there are many circumstances&lt;/p&gt;where the noise margins are quite small.&lt;/p&gt;In the final part of the work, we examine the trade-offs between number of channels, signal&lt;/p&gt;power, and noise margins, including the use of pulse amplitude modulation within the two&lt;/p&gt;channel system.&lt;/p&gt;","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ivanovich, Darko"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Computer Science & Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Roger D. Chamberlain","Shantanu Chakrabartty, Viktor Gruev, Ulugbek Kamilov, Richard Livingston,"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019-08-15T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2019-08-15T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:13:55Z","subjects":["Computer Engineering","Electrical and Electronics","Optics"],"languages":["English (en)"],"rights":["I have not registered my thesis with the U.S. Copyright Office, but intend to later."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/eng_etds/474"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/eng_etds/474","href":"https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/eng_etds/474","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.7936/rr5d-wz43","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Roger D. Chamberlain","Shantanu Chakrabartty, Viktor Gruev, Ulugbek Kamilov, Richard Livingston,"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ivanovich, Darko"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2020-02-21T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Computer Science & Engineering","McKelvey School of Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Computer Engineering","Electrical and Electronics","Optics"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English (en)"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["I have not registered my thesis with the U.S. Copyright Office, but intend to later."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://doi.org/10.7936/rr5d-wz43","https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/eng_etds/474"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Permanent URL: https://doi.org/10.7936/rr5d-wz43"]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Multiple parallel channels are ubiquitous in optical communications, with spatial division</p>multiplexing (separate physical paths) and wavelength division multiplexing (separate optical</p>wavelengths) being the most common forms. In this research work, we investigate the viability</p>of polarization division multiplexing, the separation of distinct parallel optical communication</p>channels through the polarization properties of light. We investigate polarization division</p>multiplexing based optical communication systems in five distinct parts.</p>In the first part of the work, we define a simulation model of two or more linearly polarized</p>optical signals (at different polarization angles) that are transmitted through a common</p>medium (e.g., air), filtered using aluminum nanowire optical filters fabricated on-chip, and</p>received using individual silicon photodetectors (one per channel). The filter model is based</p>upon an input optical signal formed as the sum of the Stokes vectors for each individual</p>channel, transformed by the Mueller matrix that models the filter proper, resulting in an</p>output optical signal that impinges on each photodiode. The simulation results show that</p>two and three channel systems can operate with a fixed-threshold comparator in the receiver</p>circuit, but four channel systems (and larger) will require channel coding of some form. The entire simulation model is designed in Cadence tools and the receiver (including optics) is</p>compatible with standard CMOS fabrication processes.</p>In the second part of the work, we design and manufacture a two channel chip that is used</p>as the light receiver to confirm the simulation results from the first part of the research.</p>Since logistics for the receiver’s chip testing were not favorable we constrained our testing</p>to single channel operation, which we demonstrated functionality using both electrical and</p>optical inputs. In addition, we used data from a pair of optical imagers (one linear and the</p>second with a logarithmic response) to investigate the noise properties of both the optical</p>and electrical signals within the system.</p>In the third part of the work, we provide examples of channel coding that enable the four</p>channel system to operate with positive noise margins.</p>In the fourth part of the work, we define an end-to-end simulation model of two, three or</p>four channel systems that utilize air, fiber, and a pair of mirrors in the optical path from</p>transmitter to receiver. Each of these systems is shown to have positive noise margins (albeit</p>using channel coding on the four channel editions); however, there are many circumstances</p>where the noise margins are quite small.</p>In the final part of the work, we examine the trade-offs between number of channels, signal</p>power, and noise margins, including the use of pulse amplitude modulation within the two</p>channel system.</p>"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Polarization Division Multiplexing for Optical Data Communications"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Roger D. Chamberlain","Shantanu Chakrabartty, Viktor Gruev, Ulugbek Kamilov, Richard Livingston,"],"dc:creator":["Ivanovich, Darko"],"dc:date.available":["2020-02-21T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description":["Permanent URL: https://doi.org/10.7936/rr5d-wz43"],"dc:description.abstract":["Multiple parallel channels are ubiquitous in optical communications, with spatial division</p>multiplexing (separate physical paths) and wavelength division multiplexing (separate optical</p>wavelengths) being the most common forms. In this research work, we investigate the viability</p>of polarization division multiplexing, the separation of distinct parallel optical communication</p>channels through the polarization properties of light. We investigate polarization division</p>multiplexing based optical communication systems in five distinct parts.</p>In the first part of the work, we define a simulation model of two or more linearly polarized</p>optical signals (at different polarization angles) that are transmitted through a common</p>medium (e.g., air), filtered using aluminum nanowire optical filters fabricated on-chip, and</p>received using individual silicon photodetectors (one per channel). The filter model is based</p>upon an input optical signal formed as the sum of the Stokes vectors for each individual</p>channel, transformed by the Mueller matrix that models the filter proper, resulting in an</p>output optical signal that impinges on each photodiode. The simulation results show that</p>two and three channel systems can operate with a fixed-threshold comparator in the receiver</p>circuit, but four channel systems (and larger) will require channel coding of some form. The entire simulation model is designed in Cadence tools and the receiver (including optics) is</p>compatible with standard CMOS fabrication processes.</p>In the second part of the work, we design and manufacture a two channel chip that is used</p>as the light receiver to confirm the simulation results from the first part of the research.</p>Since logistics for the receiver’s chip testing were not favorable we constrained our testing</p>to single channel operation, which we demonstrated functionality using both electrical and</p>optical inputs. In addition, we used data from a pair of optical imagers (one linear and the</p>second with a logarithmic response) to investigate the noise properties of both the optical</p>and electrical signals within the system.</p>In the third part of the work, we provide examples of channel coding that enable the four</p>channel system to operate with positive noise margins.</p>In the fourth part of the work, we define an end-to-end simulation model of two, three or</p>four channel systems that utilize air, fiber, and a pair of mirrors in the optical path from</p>transmitter to receiver. Each of these systems is shown to have positive noise margins (albeit</p>using channel coding on the four channel editions); however, there are many circumstances</p>where the noise margins are quite small.</p>In the final part of the work, we examine the trade-offs between number of channels, signal</p>power, and noise margins, including the use of pulse amplitude modulation within the two</p>channel system.</p>"],"dc:identifier":["https://doi.org/10.7936/rr5d-wz43","https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/eng_etds/474"],"dc:language":["English (en)"],"dc:rights":["I have not registered my thesis with the U.S. Copyright Office, but intend to later."],"dc:subject":["Computer Engineering","Electrical and Electronics","Optics"],"dc:title":["Polarization Division Multiplexing for Optical Data Communications"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Computer Science & Engineering","McKelvey School of Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:13:55Z"}