Probability-density functions for energy perturbations of isolated optical pulses
01 January 2003
The mathematical methods required to model simple stochastic processes are reviewed briefly. These methods are used to determine the Ito and Stratonovich probability-density functions (PDFs) for noise-induced energy perturbations of isolated (solitary) optical pulses in fiber communication systems. The analytical formulas are consistent with numerical solutions of the energy-moment equation. System failures are caused by large energy perturbations. For such perturbations the Ito and Stratonovich-PDFs differ significantly from the (idealized) Gauss- PDF that is normally used to predict system performance.