800Gb/s (8x128Gb/s) unrepeatered transmission over 515-km large-area ultra-low-loss fiber using 2nd-order Raman pumping.

We demonstrate unrepeatered transmission of 8x128Gb/s PDM-QPSK signals over a 515k-m fiber link. This ultra-long distance of 800 Gb/s unrepeatered transmission in a single fiber configuration is achieved by employing enabling techniques such as large-effective- area ultra-low-attenuation fibers, co-propagating and counter-propagating 2nd-order- pumped distributed Raman amplification, and remote optically pumped amplifier ( ROPA). The ROPA itself is also counter-propagating 2nd-order Raman pumped. The designs and characteristics of the ROPA and 2nd-order pumped distributed Raman amplification are described, and optimization of the transmission performance of this ultra-long reach 800Gb/s unrepeatered transmission fiber link is discussed in this paper. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America