Gordon–Haus timing jitter in dispersion-managed systems with lumped amplification: analytical approach

We use the moment method to calculate the Gordon–Haus timing jitter of optical pulses in dispersion-managed communication systems designed by use of lumped fiber amplifiers. The use of the Gaussian approximation for the chirped pulses, in combination with variational analysis, allows us to obtain an analytic expression for the timing jitter that is valid for an arbitrary number of amplifiers within each map period. We use this result to discuss how jitter is affected when more than one amplifier is used within each map period. We consider jitter for soliton-based systems as well as for low-power light-wave systems designed by use of the chirped return-to-zero format. In each case, the effects of dispersion compensation on the timing jitter are studied in detail. © 2002 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 060.2330, 190.5530, 060.4370, 060.5530.