The experimentally validated linear, shift-invariant jitter model of an individual fiber-optic regenerator is used to derive the jitter accumulation model for a chain of nonidentical fiber-optical regenerators. The jitter characteristics of 40 regenerators are measured individually and are used as parameters in the jitter accumulation model. The calculated accumulation is compared to an accumulation measurement made along a chain of these same 40 regenerators to estimate the portion of pattern-dependent jitter that accumulates systematically.>

A circulating-loop experimental technique to simulate the jitter accumulation of a chain of fiber-optic regenerators is described. This technique allows system designer to establish the jitter accumulation characteristics of systems without the need for many test regenerators. An analytic description of how well the loop technique simulates a china of identical fiber-optic regenerators is presented along with a comparison of calculated and simulated jitter accumulation.>

In this paper, we will analyze the effect accumulated jitter has on the decision making process inside theNth fiber optic regenerator of a long chain of fiber optic regenerators. The criteria for a correct bit decision in the presence of receiver noise, static phase offset, and accumulated input jitter will be derived, and calculations of the bit error rate penalties caused by the presence of known distributions of accumulated input jitter will be made. We will then define the jitter tolerance of a fiber optic regenerator as an effective measure of the regenerator's capability to tolerate incoming accumulated jitter. We will show that excessive bit error rate penalties will not occur if the accumulated input jitter does not exceed the regenerator's measured jitter tolerance template. Finally, the jitter tolerance measurement technique will be used to find the optimum sampling time inside a fiber optic regenerator resulting in a regenerator that is optimized for use in long-haul systems.