Chapter 5 - Optical Fiber Communication System

Content
1. Introduction 2. Optical Fiber 3. Optical Sources 4. Optical Detector 5. Optical Devices 6. Optical Communication Systems

References
K thut thng tin quang, V Vn San

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1. Introduction
Frequency ranges in telecommunications
Increase of telecommunications capacity and rates requires higher carriers Optical systems
apply predominantly low-loss silica-fibers started with links, nowadays also in networks very high bandwidths repeater spacing up to thousands of km

1 GHz->

10 MHz

100 kHz

Optical communications applications

4 kHz

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1. Introduction
Idea of using glass fibre to carry an optical com. signal originated with Alexander Graham Bell. Development of fibres and devices for optical com. began in the early 1960s and continues strongly today. Milestones:
The invention of the LASER (in the late 1950's) The development of low loss optical fibre (1970's) The invention of the optical fibre amplifier (1980's) The invention of the in-fibre Bragg grating (1990's) Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), 1998
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1. Introduction
What is an optical fiber?
A glass or plastic fiber that has the ability to guide light along its axis.

A fiber cable consists of three layers:

core cladding jacket
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1. Introduction
Optical Transmission - Schematic

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Advantages
Enormous capacity: 1.31 m or 1.55 m allocates bandwidth of 30 THz!! Low transmission loss
Optical fiber loss 0.25 dB/km (0.18 dB/km), Coaxial cable loss 10 300 dB/km!

Cables and equipment have small size and weight

aircrafts, satellites, ships

Immunity to interference Electrical isolation

electrical hazardous environments negligible crosstalk

Signal security
banking, computer networks, military systems

Silica fibers have abundant raw material

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Limitation
Joining Cables Bending Cables Slow Standards Development Optics for Transmission Only Gamma Radiation Electrical Fields Etc

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Applications

All connections that require high speed, long distance and less interference: international connections, backbone connections, fiber to home applications. Etc.
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2. Optical Fibre
The Nature of Light Transmitting Light on a Fibre Light Propagation in Multimode Fibre Single-Mode Propagation Optical fiber cable

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The Nature of Light

Nature of light:
Rays Electromagnetic Waves Photons

Light as an Electromagnetic Wave Polarization Interference

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Basics of optical fiber transmission II

c sin 1(n n ) Total Internal Reflection: when 1 0

then the light is totally reflected in the core, where n0,n1 refractive index of the core and cladding respectively.

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Structure

Optical fibre: a very thin strand of silica glass Two critical factors:
Very little light is lost in its journey along the fibre. Fibre can bend around corners and the light will stay within it and be guided around the corners.

Structure:
the core and the cladding

Light: infrared light for communication applications.

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Characteristics
Characteristics of Glasses
Optical fibre is not made from window glass! The predominant material in optical fibre is pure fused silica Need the core and the cladding to have different refractive indices
be careful of difference expansion coefficient

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Parameters
Parameters: Attenuation Polarization Dispersion
Waveguide dispersion Model dispersion Material (chromatic) dispersion

Noise

What can we do If the fibre thin enough, the light have only 1 possible path The wavelength of light should be carefully chosen Types of dispersion that depend on wavelength can be minimized by minimizing the spectral of the light source.
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Transmission Capacity
Very low in loss: .4 dB per km or .2 dB per km. Bandwidth: 1 nm wide waveband at 1550 nm - 133 GHz. 1 nm wide waveband at 1310 nm - 177 GHz. In total, usable range about 30 Tera Hertz (3 1013 Hz). (expected digital bandwidth of 3 1013 bits per second) Speed: Current technology limits electronic systems: 10 Gbps Higher speeds are being experimented

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Attenuation

Attenuation (Absorption) Characteristics of Glasses Fibre Transmission Windows (Bands)

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Transmitting Light on a Fibre

It is the reduction of light power over the length of the fiber.
Its mainly caused by scattering. It depends on the transmission frequency. Its measured in dB/km ( dB = 10log10(P P ) ) out in

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Transmitting Light on a Fibre

Light Propagation in Multimode Fibre

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Transmitting Light on a Fibre

Critical Angle

Numerical Aperture (NA)

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Propagation Modes

Weakly Guiding Fibres Cladding Modes Leaky Modes Bends and Micro-Bends Phase Velocity Group Velocity Multimode Dispersion (Modal Dispersion)
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Fibre types
Multimode Step-Index Multimode Graded-Index Single-Mode (Step-Index) Fibre Refractive Index Profiles
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Types
Glass fiber optic cable:
Lowest attenuation, highest cost and most wide spread use. Has a pure glass fiber optic cable: a glass core and a glass cladding. The glass is ultra pure, ultra transparent, silicon dioxide or fused quartz. One reference: "if seawater were as clear as this type of fiber optic cable then you would be able to see to the bottom of the deepest trench in the Pacific Ocean." Impurities are added to the pure glass to obtain the desired RI Germanium or phosphorous are added to increase RI Boron or fluorine is added to decrease RI.
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Types (continue)
Plastic fiber optic cable:
Highest attenuation, but lowest cost. Has a plastic core and plastic cladding. Fiber optic cable is thick, typical dimensions: 480/500, 735/750 and 980/1000. Core consists of PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) coated with a fluropolymer. Fit for short cable runs Problems: flammability

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Mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Multi-mode Single-mode Single-mode Single-mode Single-mode

Material Glass Glass Glass Glass Glass Glass Glass Glass Glass Glass Glass Glass Plastic Plastic Plastic PCS Glass Glass Glass Glass

Index of Refraction Profile Step Step Graded Graded Graded Graded Graded Graded Graded Graded Graded Graded Step Step Step Step Step Step Step Step

microns 800 850 850 850 1300 1300 850 1300 1550 850 1300 1550 650 650 650 790 650 850 1300 1550

Size (microns) 62.5/125 62.5/125 62.5/125 50/125 62.5/125 50/125 85/125 85/125 85/125 100/140 100/140 100/140 485/500 735/750 980/1000 200/350 3.7/80 or 125 5/80 or 125 9.3/125 8.1/125

Atten. dB/km 5.0 4.0 3.3 2.7 0.9 0.7 2.8 0.7 0.4 3.5 1.5 0.9 240 230 220 10 10 2.3 0.5 0.2

Bandwidth MHz/km 6 6 200 600 800 1500 200 400 500 300 500 500 5 @ 680 5 @ 680 5 @ 680 20 600 1000 * *

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Attenuation and Bandwidth characteristics of different fiber optic cable candidates 25

Transmission Bands
Optical transmission is conducted in wavelength regions, called bands. Commercial DWDM systems typically transmit at the C-band
Mainly because of the Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFA).

Band O E S C L U

Wavelength (nm) 1260 1360 1360 1460 1460 1530 1530 1565 1565 1625 1625 1675

Commercial CWDM systems typically transmit at the S, C and L bands. ITU-T has defined the wavelength grid for xWDM transmission
G.694.1 recommendation for DWDM transmission, covering S, C and L bands. G.694.2 recommendation for CWDM transmission, covering O, E, S, C and L bands.

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Single Mode Fiber Standards V

ITU-T Standard Name Typical Attenuation value (Cband) 0.25dB/km 0.25dB/km Typical CD value (C-band) 17 ps/nm-km 17 ps/nm-km Applicability

G.652 G.652c

standard Single Mode Fiber Low Water Peak SMF DispersionShifted Fiber (DSF) Non-Zero DispersionShifted Fiber (NZDSF)

OK for xWDM

Good for CWDM Bad for xWDM

G.653

0.25dB/km

0 ps/nm-km

G.655

0.25dB/km

4.5 ps/nmkm

Good for DWDM

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cable

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3. Optical Sources
Light Production Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) The Semiconductor Junction Diode Construction and Operation of LEDs Heterojunctions (Practical LEDs) Characteristics of LEDs Lasers Principle of the LASER Semiconductor Laser Diodes Fabry-Perot Lasers Distributed Feedback (DFB) Lasers In-Fibre Lasers Other types
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Optical Sources
Light production
The rapid change of state of an electron from a state of relatively high energy to a (more stable) state of lower energy. Spontaneous emission Stimulated emission
Source of energy: heat, electric discharge, electric current, chemical or biological reaction, absorbtion of light, nuclear radiation

2 kinds of light sources: Lasers and LEDs

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Optical Sources
Design challenge:
Getting the Light into a Fibre Confining and Guiding the Light within the Device Getting Power to Active Region Getting Rid of the Heat Partial Reflections => Anti-Reflection Coatings Coupling to a Fibre
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Light Emitting Diodes - LED

The Semiconductor Junction Diode Construction and Operation of LEDs Heterojunctions (Practical LEDs) Characteristic:
Low Cost Low Power Relatively Wide Spectrum Produced Incoherent Light Digital Modulation Analogue Modulation
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Laser diode
Advantages:
Ideal laser light is single-wavelength only. Lasers can be modulated (controlled) very precisely Lasers can produce relatively high power. High percentage (50% to 80%) can be transferred into the fibre.

Disadvantages:
Lasers have been quite expensive by comparison with LEDs. Lasers have to be individually designed for each wavelength they are going to use. Amplitude modulation using an analogue signal is difficult

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Laser diode
Technical parameters:
Spectral Width (small for dispersion, WDM, frequency or phase modulation techniques or coherent detection, non-linear effects Linewidth Coherence Length and Coherence Time Power Operating Wavelength Frequency (Wavelength) Stability Switching Time and Modulation Tuning Range and Speed

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LD structure
Semiconductor Laser Diodes

Fabry-Perot Lasers

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4. Optical Detectors
Photoconductors Photodiodes
P-I-N Diodes Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs) Schottky-Barrier Photodiodes Hetero-Interface Photodetectors Traveling-Wave Photodetectors Resonant-Cavity Photodetectors

Phototransistors
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Optical Detectors
Role:
Detect optical signal

Parameters:
Sensitivity Gain Detector efficiency Spectral Range Response Time Noise Characteristics
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P-I-N Diodes
Requirement: energy of absorbed photon > energy to promote an electron across the bandgap => materials used for PIN diode construction are different depending on the band of wavelengths to be used. Materials: 500-1000 nm Band
Silicon PIN diodes

1300 nm (1250 nm to 1400 nm) Band

Indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP) and germanium

1550 nm (1500 nm to 1600 nm) Band

InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide).
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Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs)

Materials: 800 nm to 1 Micron Band
Silicon or germanium. Used for wavelengths shorter than about 1 micron. For very short distance (<500 metres) communications.

1310 nm Band
Germanium or III-V semiconductor alloys

1550 nm Band III-V APDs are used widely. The most common materials system in use is InGaAs/InP

Characteristics: Sensitivity of APDs Operating Speed Gain-Bandwidth Product Noise

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Optical Detectors
Photodiodes
Schottky-Barrier Photodiodes Hetero-Interface Photodetectors Traveling-Wave Photodetectors Resonant-Cavity Photodetectors

Phototransistors

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Data rate vs. Optic power

Receiver sensitivities for BER = 10-9, with different devices

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Designing a fiber optic system

Many factors that must be considered Ensuring that enough light reaches the receiver.
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Step-by-step procedures to design optic fiber system

Determine the correct optical transmitter and receiver combination based upon the signal to be transmitted (Analog, Digital, Audio, Video, RS-232, RS-422, etc.). Determine the operating power available (AC, DC, etc.). Determine the special modifications necessary (Impedances, Bandwidths, Special Connectors, Fiber Size, etc.). Calculate the total optical loss (in dB) in the system by adding the cable loss, splice loss, and connector loss. Compare the loss figure obtained with the allowable optical loss budget of the receiver. Be certain to add a safety margin factor of at least 3 dB to the entire system. Check that the fiber bandwidth is adequate to pass the signal desired. If, after performing the calculations, the fiber bandwidth is inadequate for transmitting the required signal the necessary distance => select a different transmitter/receiver (wavelength) combination, or use a lower loss premium fiber.

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Link calculations
In order to determine repeater spacing on should calculate
power budget rise-time budget

Optical power loss due to junctions, connectors and fiber One should be able to estimate required margins with respect of temperature, aging and stability For rise-time budget one should take into account all the rise times in the link (tx, fiber, rx) If the link does not fit into specifications
more repeaters change components change specifications

Often several design iteration turns are required

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Link calculations (cont.)

Specifications: transmission distance, data rate (BW), BER Objectives is then to select Fiber
Multimode or single mode fiber: core size, refractive index profile, bandwidth or dispersion, attenuation, numerical aperture or mode-field diameter

Source
LED or laser diode optical source: emission wavelength, spectral line width, output power, effective radiating area, emission pattern, number of emitting modes

Detector
PIN or avalanche photodiode: responsivity, operating wavelength, rise time, sensitivity
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The bitrate-transmission length grid

1-10 m <10 Kb/s 10-100 Kb/s 100-1000 Kb/s 1-10 Mb/s 10-50 Mb/s 50-500 Mb/s 500-1000 Mb/s >1 Gb/s 10-100 m 100-1000 m 1-3 km 3-10 km 10-50 km 50-100 km >100 km

VII I II III IV
V V

VI

I Region: BL 100 Mb/s II Region: 100 Mb/s BL 5 Gb/s III Region:

SLED with SI MMF LED or LD with SI or GI MMF MMF GI MMF GI MMF SMF

BL 100 Mb/s ELED or LD with SI

IV Region: 5 Mb/s BL 4 Gb/s ELED or LD with V Region: 10 Mb/s BL 1 Gb/s LD with VI Region: 100 Mb/s BL 100 Gb/s LD with VII Region: 5 Mb/s BL 100 Mb/s

LD with SI or GI MMF

SI: step index, GI: graded index, MMF: multimode fiber, SMF: single mode fiber
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OEO-based optical link of 80s

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Launched power spectra

Link Evolution
LED

P P P P ,1 ,2 ,...n

Transmitter

OEO repeater
1.3 m

OEO repeater

OEO repeater

Receiver

Multi-mode laser

Transmitter

OEO repeater

OEO repeater

Receiver

Single-mode laser

Transmitter

1.55 m

OEO repeater
WDM at 1, 2,... n

Receiver

Multi WDMTransmitter MUX

Fiber-amplifier EDFA/Raman

WDMDEMUX

Multi Receiver

Multi-mode fiber Single-mode fiber

OEO repeater
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Opto-electro-optical repeater
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Optical Communication Systems

Point-to-Point Transmission Systems Modulation (Making the Light Carry a Signal) Transmission System Limits and Characteristics Optical System Engineering Control of Dispersion in Single-Mode Fibre Links Control of Dispersion in Multimode Fibre Fibre Optics in Different Environments Test Equipment and Techniques

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Optical Link Connections in Electronic Networks

Fibre Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) Fibre Channel ESCON and Inter-System Coupling (ISC) OptiConnect Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) and SDH Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
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