Performance of Radio over Fiber from Radio to Millimeter-wave Spectrum for A Fronthaul Optical Network

Radio over fiber (RoF) technology enables the transmission of radio signals over optical fiber, offering reliable and high-performance connectivity for front-haul applications. This is particularly beneficial in the context of 5G cellular networks, where there is a demand for robust and efficient front-haul connectivity to support the high data rates and low latency requirements of $\mathbf{5G}$ applications and services. Using RoF, 5G cellular networks can achieve improved reliability, flexibility, and performance in their front-haul infrastructure. This research investigates the performance of a proposed RoF network for front-haul applications by considering the Q-factor parameter using OptiSystem. The findings from the study demonstrate that radio-over-fiber (RoF) technology is highly suitable for operating within the millimeter wave spectrum, specifically at frequencies as low as 10 GHz. As the frequency escalates to 40 GHz and beyond, the system’s performance becomes saturated, yielding a $\mathbf{Q}$ factor of approximately 23 for upstream transmission and $\mathbf{19}$ for downstream transmission. It is important to note that careful consideration and strategic planning are vital for the effective and efficient implementation of RoF, especially when it comes to managing spectrum usage.