Probabilistic Shaping and Forward Error Correction for Fiber-Optic Communication Systems

This tutorial paper provides a foundation for integrating probabilistic shaping (PS) and forward error correction (FEC). A layered PS-FEC architecture consisting of a PS encoder and an FEC encoder is introduced, of which probabilistic amplitude shaping is a practical instance. Achievable PS encoding rates and achievable FEC decoding rates are derived using information-theoretic arguments. The developed tools are applied to the design and performance assessment of optical transponders based on measurements from optical transmission experiments.