Frequency domain coded modulation with polarization interleaving for fiber nonlinearity mitigation in digital sub-carrier coherent optical communication systems

An optical receiver, comprising:

• a digital signal processor configured to:
• receive a first symbol via a first sub-carrier of an optical signal,
• the first sub-carrier having a first polarization state based on first and second polarization components;
• receive a second symbol via a second sub-carrier of the optical signal,
• the second symbol having a second polarization state based on first and second polarization components,
• the second polarization state being substantially orthogonal to the first polarization state;
• decode at least the first symbol and the second symbol into a group of bits;
• and
• output the group of bits.

An optical system, comprising:

• an optical transmitter configured to:
• receive a first group of bits;
• encode the first group of bits into at least first encoded data and second encoded data;
• supply a first sub-carrier carrying a first symbol and a second sub-carrier carrying a second symbol,
• the first symbol and the second symbol being based on the first encoded data and the second encoded data, respectively, such that the first sub-carrier has a first polarization state comprising first and second polarization components, and the second sub-carrier has a second polarization state comprising first and second polarization components,
• wherein the first polarization state is substantially orthogonal to the second polarization state;
• and
• an optical receiver configured to:
• receive the first symbol via the first sub-carrier;
• receive the second symbol via the second sub-carrier;
• decode at least the first symbol and the second symbol into a second group of bits;
• and
• output the second group of bits.