Published December 11, 2025 | Version v2.1
Software Open

Optical link performance calculator based on the Polynomial Closed-Form GN/EGN model (PCFM) v2.1

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Politecnico di Torino

Contributors

Project member:

  • 1. ROR icon Soochow University
  • 2. ROR icon Cisco Systems (United States)

Description

Optical link performance calculator based on the Polynomial Closed-Form GN/EGN model (PCFM)

The main file is Matlab, the others are mostly MEX files, compiled for Windows/Intel systems and for Linux systems.

The software is capable of fully characterizing the GSNR of each channel of a multi-band, multi-span link, in the presence of ISRS and Raman amplification (both forward and backward). 

Version 1.1: the graphical output of the provided use-case example has been improved. More information is provided, including a breakdown of NLI into SCI and XCI. A dialog lets you choose which span output, of the provided 10-span example of a C+L+S systems, you are interested in.

Version 1.2: several new system examples have been added. Now the full suite of examples include:

  • a 1000 km C+L+S system with Raman amplification optimized for throughput (same as in Version 1.1)
  • a 1000 km C+L+S system with Raman amplification optimized for throughput and GSNR flatness (new)
  • a 3000 km C+L system with Raman amplification optimized for throughput (new)
  • a 3000 km C+L system with Raman amplification optimized for throughput and for GSNR flatness (new)
  • a 7000 km C-band system optimized for throughput (new)

Version 2.0:

  • The SCI (single-channel interference, or SPM) computing module has been entirely re-written to enable operation at lower dispersion and lower symbol rates than before.
  • Double Rayleigh Back-scattering (DRB) has been added to all system configurations. It is now a component of the GSNR which shows up in the GSNR plots. In Raman-amplified systems it may be important (see for instance the system example “CLS_1000km_max_throughput”).
  • ASE from all Raman effects (both amplification with pumps and ISRS) is taken into account.
  • The software now checks for too-low values of dispersion and too-low symbol rates.
    If either or both of these conditions are detected:
    • |β2| < 1 ps^2/km (or approximately |D| < 0.8 ps/(nm km)) at any frequency in the WDM band
    • the symbol rate of any channel in the system is below 7 GBaud

           then the program stops and warns you about it.

Version 2.1:

  • CPU parallelism exploited
  • 3x speed-up on a 16 core 24 thread machine compared to v2.0, with additional cores or threads providing further improvements
  • no use of GPU for now, but future versions may do that

Files

PCFM_v2.1.zip

Files (1.5 MB)

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Additional details

Funding

Cisco Systems (United States)
BOOST

Dates

Available
2025-12-11
software

References

  • Pierluigi Poggiolini and Yanchao Jiang, "Recent Advances in Real-Time Models for UWB Transmission Systems," OFC 2025, Tu3K.2, San Francisco, US, 2025
  • Y. Jiang, A. Nespola, A. Tanzi, S. Piciaccia, M. Zefreh, F. Forghieri, P. Poggiolini, "Experimental Test of a Closed-Form EGN Model Over C+L Bands," in Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 439-449, 2025.
  • Y. Jiang, J. Sarkis, A. Nespola, F. Forghieri, S. Piciaccia, A. Tanzi, M. Zefreh, P. Poggiolini,"Optimization of Long-Haul C+L+S Systems by Means of a Closed Form EGN Model," in Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 36, no. 18, pp. 1129-1132, 2024.
  • Y. Jiang, J. Sarkis, S. Piciaccia, F. Forghieri, P. Poggiolini, "Signal and Backward Raman Pump Power Optimization in Multi-Band Systems Using Fast Power Profile Estimation," in Journal of Lightwave Technology, doi: 10.1109/JLT.2025.3585684.
  • M. Zefreh, F. Forghieri, S. Piciaccia, P. Poggiolini, "Accurate Closed-Form Real-Time EGN Model Formula Leveraging Machine-Learning Over 8500 Thoroughly Randomized Full C-Band Systems," J. of Lightwave Technol., vol. 38, no. 18, pp. 4987-4999, 2020
  • Pierluigi Poggiolini, Yanchao Jiang, Yifeng Gao, Fabrizio Forghieri, "Polynomial Closed Form Model for Ultra-Wideband Transmission Systems," arXiv:2508.21563, https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2508.21563, 2025.
  • Yanchao Jiang, "Closed-Form EGN Models and Launch Power Optimization in Multi-Band Systems, " ECOC 2025, Tu.01.05.1.