DSP-Free and Real-Time NRZ Transmission of 50 Gb/s Over 15-km SSMF and 64 Gb/s Back-to-Back With a 1.3-μm VCSEL

We demonstrate and analyze 50 Gb/s non-return-to-zero (NRZ) transmission over 15 km of standard single-mode fiber (SSMF), 60-Gb/s NRZ transmission over 5 km of SSMF and up to 64-Gb/s NRZ back-to-back using a directly modulated short-cavity long-wavelength single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) emitting at 1326 nm. Owing to an analog 6-tap transmit feedforward equalizer, the link can operate without digital signal processing. In all three cases, real-time bit error ratio measurements below the 7% overhead hard-decision forward error correction threshold are demonstrated when transmitting a pseudorandom bit sequence with a period of 2(7) - 1 bits. In addition, we analyze the interplay between the residual fiber chromatic dispersion at the operating wavelength of the VCSEL and the chirp due to direct modulation. These results demonstrate how O-band, short-cavity long-wavelength single-mode VCSELs can be used in intradata center networks, as well as in interdata center networks at reaches below 15 km.