EE 5551

Fiber Optic CommunicationsFall 2008, Sun Tue Thr 1:00-2:00 pm

EE343Instructor: Yazan A Alqudah

Office Location EE446Phone: Ext 339332

EE 5551• An introductory Course to Fiber Optic

Communications• Gain general knowledge about the technology• Why fiber optics• What the pieces are• Have essential understanding about components

important to optical networking• Characteristics• Working principle• Prepare for further in depth exploration and

design

EE 5551Course Goal:• Familiar with basic concepts (carrier frequency, bandwidth,

bit rate-distance, etc) and terminologies (DWDM, EDFA, etc) used in fiber optic communications technology

• Develop a general understanding of basic analog and digital signal sampling, transmission and receiving in communications

• Understanding the origin of loss and causes of various dispersion in optical fibers

• Understanding basic dielectric waveguides theory• Develop an essential understanding of operation principles

of fiber optic components( light sources, light detectors, light amplifier, modulators, and filters, etc)

• Familiarity with the trend and design consideration of fiber optic networks

Prerequisite

• Basic geometric optics, reflection, refraction and interference

• Continuous-time linear systems• Solid state devices: principle of semiconductor

p-n junctions, forward and inverse bias and light emitting process

Resources

Text Book• Optical Fiber Communications, Gerd Keiser, 3th

edition. McGraw-HillRecommended References• Fiber-Optic Communications Systems, Govind P.

Agrawal, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.• Fiber Optic Communications, Joseph C. Palais, 5th

ed., Pearson Prentice Hall.• Optics, Eugene Hecht, 3rd ed., Addision-Wesley

1998

Course Contents

• Introduction to fiber optics• Light propagation in optical waveguide• Critical components in optic fiber

communications• Fiber optic networks

Part I: Introduction to Fiber Optic Communications

• Objectives:– Describe in general the evolution of optical networks– Describe the operating principles of fiber optic systems; identify

the capabilities and limitations– Get to know the system components such as laser, detectors,

amplifiers, multiplexers, demultiplexers, and describe how they are used

– Familiar with bandwidth, bit rate, fiber loss, and understanding sampling

Contents covered– Development of fiber optics– Bandwidth and data transmission speed– Review basic geometrical optics

Part II: Light propagation in optical waveguides

• Learning objectives:– Describe various types of optical fibers– Explain fiber dispersion, attenuation and other properties– Explain the key features of optical fiber, which make them

suited for long distance high speed communications– Explain how physical effects inside optical fiber can limit

communications speeds and distances• Contents to be covered– Analysis of light propagation in optical fiber– Fiber applications and types– Fiber attenuation, dispersion and nonlinear effects– Optic fiber manufacturing

Part IIIa. Critical Components: Transmitters and Receivers

• Learning objectives– Discuss light sources for fiber optic systems– Explain fiber optic transmitters– Explain fiber optic receivers and receiver

sensitivity• Contents to cover– Light sources: LEDs and lasers– Transmitters– Receivers and detectors

Part IIIb. Critical Components: Passive Components

• Learning objectives– Describe couplers and how they work– Discuss planar waveguides– Explain wavelength division multiplexers– Describe optical isolators– Explain dispersion compensators

• Contents to cover– Couplers and taps– Planar waveguides– Attenuators and filters– Wavelength-division multiplexers– Other passive components

Part IIIc. Critical Components: Active Components

• Learning objectives:– Understand operation principle of various active

components: Modulators, switches, wavelength converters

– Understand function and impact of fiber amplifiers• Contents– Repeaters and regenerators– Modulators– Optical switches– Wavelength converters– Optical amplifiers

Fiber Optic Network

• Learning objectives– Explain how optical networks are evolving

towards higher information rates, functionality, switch connectivity, metropolitan and local areas

• Contents to cover– Multiplexing technique, wavelength and time

division– Fiber optic network architecture– Current trends in fiber optic networks

Grading PolicyHomework, Quizzes ( in class, announced and unannounced), and attendance

10%

Two in-class midterm exams 50% (25% each)

Final exam 40%