OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATIONS

Course Code & Credits:

Instructor:

EEE457 3(3, 0)
Dr. Shaista Shahzada

Instructors Email:
irfan_latif@comsats.edu.pk
Instructor's Office Hours: Monday : 1200 to 1300 & Thursday : 1200 to 1300
Pre-requisite courses:

EEE232 ELECTRONICS-II
EEE261 ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY
EEE362 MICROWAVE ENGINEERING

Recommended Textbook: Optical Fiber Communications, 4th edition, By Gerd Keiser

Reference Book(s):

Optical Fiber Communications, second Edition, John M Senior

Fiber-Optic Communication Systems, 3rd edition,Govind P. Agrawal
Fiber Optic Communications, fifth Edition, Joseph Palais
Understanding Fiber Optics, 4th edition, Jeff Hecht

Objective: To learn the basic elements of optical fiber transmission link, fiber modes configurations
and structures. To understand the different kind of losses, signal distortion in optical wave guides and
other signal degradation factors. Design optimization of SM fibers, RI profile and cut-off wave length.
To learn the various optical source materials, LED structures, quantum efficiency, Laser diodes and
different fiber amplifiers.
To learn the fiber optical receivers such as PIN APD diodes, noise performance in photo detector,
receiver operation and configuration.
To learn fiber splicing and connectors, noise effects on system performance, operational principles WDM
and solutions.
Topical Outline:
Lec.
no
1

2
3
4

Topic
History of light & Networks: Contribution of scientists in resolving light
mystery, Optical Network history, Types of optical fiber networks in
Pakistan
Overview of optical fiber communication: Motivations for Lightwave
Communications, Optical Spectral Bands, Fundamental Data
Communication Concepts, Network Information Rates
WDM Concepts, Key Elements of Optical Fiber Systems, Standards for
Optical Fiber Communications, Modeling and Simulation Tools
Optical Fibers: Structure, Wave-Guide and Fabrication: The Nature of
Light, Basic Optical Laws and Definitions, Optical Fiber Modes and
Configurations

Mode Theory for Circular Waveguides, Single-mode Fibers, Graded-index

Fiber Structure, Fiber Materials

Photonic Crystal Fibers, Fiber Fabrication, Mechanical Properties of Fibers

Fiber Optic Cables, Cable protection, Installation

Signal Degradation In Optical Fibers*: Attenuation, absorption,
scattering losses, Radiative losses
Signal Distortion in Fibers, Modal dispersion, intermodal dispersion,
polarization mode dispersion

8
9

Reading
General
discusson
Keiser: Ch#1-1.1
to 1.4
Keiser: Ch#1-1.5
to 1.8
Keiser: Ch#2-2.1
to 2.3, Class
Notes
Keiser: Ch#2-2.4
to 2.7, Class
Notes
Keiser: Ch#2-2.8
to 2.10,
Class Notes
Keiser: Ch#3-3.1
Keiser: Ch#3-3.2

10

Characteristics of Single-Mode Fibers, International Standards, Specialty

Fibers

11

Optical Sources: Topics from Semiconductor Physics, Light-Emitting

Diodes (LEDs), Laser Diodes

12

Line Coding, Light Source Linearity, Reliability Considerations

13

Power Launching and Coupling: Source-to-Fiber Power Launching,

Lensing Schemes for Coupling Improvement, Fiber-to-Fiber Joints

14

LED Coupling to Single-Mode Fibers, Fiber Splicing,

15

Optical Fiber Connectors, Coupling Losses

16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Photodetectors: Physical Principles of Photodiodes, Photodetector Noise,

Detector Response Time
Avalanche Multiplication Noise, Structures for InGaAs Apds, Temperature
Effect on Avalanche Gain, Comparisons of Photodetectors
Optical Receiver Operation: Fundamental Receiver Operation, Digital
Receiver Performance, Eye Diagrams
Coherent Detection, Burst-Mode Receivers, Analog Receivers
Digital Links*: Point-to-Point Links, Power Budget, Rise time budget,
Power Penalties
WDM Concepts and Components: Overview of WDM, Passive Optical
Couplers, Isolators and Circulators
Fiber Grating Filters, Dielectric Thin-Film Filters, Phased-Array-Based
Devices
Diffraction Gratings, Active Optical Components, Tunable Light Sources
Optical Amplifiers: Basic Applications and Types of Optical Amplifiers,
Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers, Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers
Amplifier Noise, Optical SNR, System Applications, Raman
Amplifiers,Wideband Optical Amplifiers

26

Optical Networks: Network Concepts, Network Topologies,

27

SONET/SDH

28

High-Speed Lightwave Links, Optical Add/Drop Multiplexing, Optical

Switching

29

WDM Network Examples, Mitigation of Transmission Impairments

30

Performance Measurement and Monitoring*: Measurement Standards,

Basic Test Equipment, Optical Power Measurements

31

Optical Fiber Characterization, Eye Diagram Tests,

32

Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer, Optical Performance Monitoring

Keiser: Ch#3-3.3
to 3.5, Class
Notes
Keiser: Ch#4-4.1
to 4.3, Class
Notes
Keiser: Ch#44.4 to 4.6 Class
Notes
Keiser: Ch#55.1 to 5.3 Class
Notes
Keiser: Ch#55.4 to 5.5 Class
Notes
Keiser: Ch#55.6 +Class Notes
Keiser: Ch#66.1 to 6.3
Keiser: Ch#66.4 to 6.7
Keiser: Ch#77.1 to 7.3
Keiser: Ch#77.4 to 7.6
Keiser: Ch# 88.1 to 8.2
Keiser:Ch#1010.1 to 10.3
Keiser:Ch#1010.4 to 10.6
Keiser:Ch#1010.7 to 10.9
Keiser:Ch#1111.1 to 11.3
Keiser:Ch#1111.4 to 11.8
Keiser:Ch#1313.1 to 13.2
Keiser:Ch#1313.2 + class
notes
Keiser:Ch#1313.3 to 13.6
Keiser:Ch#1313.7 to 13.8
Keiser:Ch#1314.1 to 14.3
Keiser:Ch#1314.4 to 14.5
Keiser:Ch#1314.6 to 14.7

Grading Policy:
Theory (75%)
Quizzes

15%

Assignments

10%

Sessional-1

10%

Sessional-2

15%

Final Exam

50%

Total

100%

Attendance:
Every student will have to fulfill the attendance requirements, as set by examination
department, in order to appear in the exams --- 80%
There will not be any exceptions --- please do not contact me in this regard
Assignments:
Timely and full completion of assignments is vital to student success in this course. To this end, the
following policies will be in effect:

Students are expected to submit work on time.

Late assignments will not be accepted.

Students who submit assignments after the due date/time will receive a grade of zero.

Assignments missed due to an excused absence will be due during the next class period.
Quizzes:
Quizzes are meant to test for continuous learning in this course.
Quizzes will be unannounced
Cheating --- unacceptable
Exams:
Final exam is centrally scheduled and held according to date sheet published at the end of the
semester.
Missing Exams/Quizzes:
No retakes in quizzes are allowed. Sessional and final exam retakes are only possible in extreme cases
of emergency e.g., personal hospitalization, death in the immediate family, etc. If you can anticipate
the emergency (in case of personal hospitalization) you must intimate your instructor in advance and
reschedule your exam. All such cases must be supported by the documentation e.g., hospitalization
records etc.
Cheating:
Department of Electrical Engineering has a policy of zero-tolerance for cheating. Any sort of
Cheating will result in zero grade in that activity. First attempt of cheating shall be reported to course
coordinator resulting in a serious warning, second attempt will be reported to department head
resulting into an inquiry and subsequent failure in the course.