Experimental assessment of node crosstalk limitations enhanced by nonlinear effects in all optical transport networks

In all optical transport networks, linear in-band crosstalk from the nodes should be below a limiting value, which is usually determined in linear conditions. Using an installed conventional fiber line, it is experimentally demonstrated that the acceptable crosstalk level can significantly decrease when both the signal and the crosstalk are transmitted in an amplified link. The effect is ascribed to the occurrence of nonlinear propagation effects.