E C E

Fiber Optic Communication

ECE 4255
Oishi Jyoti
Lecturer
Department of ECE
RUET
Reference Books

 Fiber Optic Communication - Joseph Palais

 Optical Fiber Communication - John M. Senior

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Outlines
 Electromagnetic Waves
 Dispersion
 Polarization
 Resonant Cavities
 Reflection at plane boundary
 Critical Angle
 Slab waveguide
 Modes in symmetric and asymmetric
 Integrated Optic Components
 Coupling

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Electromagnetic Waves
 Light consists of an electric field and a magnetic field
 The wave repeats itself at a fixed time, after a distance λ
 Wave number = 1/λ
 E = E0 sin (wt – kz)
E0 = peak amplitude, w = radian frequency, k = propagation factor (k=w/v), v = phase
velocity, (wt-kz) = phase, kz = phase shift
𝑤𝑛 𝑐
Now, k = As, v = Wavelength at free space λ𝑜 = c/f
𝑐 𝑛
𝑤 Wavelength at medium λ=v/f
Propagation constant at free space k0 = λ𝑜 𝑐
𝑐
So, = =n
λ 𝑣
So, k = nk0
Again, k =
2𝜋
As, λ=v/f and w=2𝜋f The λ is shorter than λ𝑜 becoz n >1
λ

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Dispersion

 Dispersion is the spreading out of a light pulse in time as it propagates

down the fiber
 Dispersion causes loss in amplitude

 Types:
✓ Modal dispersion
✓ Chromatic dispersion
✓ Polarization mode dispersion

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Modal Dispersion

 Modal dispersion is a distortion mechanism occurring in multimode fibers

 Light rays propagate through different paths hence their reaching time at
the destination is different.
 The longer the path is, the higher the model dispersion will be.
 The high-order modes (light entering at sharp angles) have more model
dispersion than low-order modes (light entering at smaller angles).

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Chromatic Dispersion
 Chromatic dispersion is a phenomenon of signal spreading over time
resulting from the different speeds of light rays
 Combination of i) material dispersion and ii) waveguide dispersion.
 Material dispersion is caused by the wavelength dependence of the
refractive index on the fiber core material
τ
 Waveguide dispersion occurs due to dependence of the mode △(𝐿) = 𝑀△λ
propagation constant on the fiber parameters (core radius, and
difference between refractive indexes in fiber core and fiber cladding) τ= time for a pulse to travel a path
and signal wavelength L= path length
M=Material dispersion
△λ=spectral width

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Polarization Mode Dispersion

 PMD represents the polarization dependence of the propagation characteristics of

light waves in optical fibers.
 When the light is defined as an energy wave, it possesses 2 mutually
perpendicular field axes.
 The moment the light enter into the fiber, these two axes transfers at different
speeds, and PMD occurs.

Due to asymmetry of
fiber strand caused
by manufacturing
process

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Zero Dispersion Wavelength

 The zero-dispersion wavelength is the

wavelength or wavelengths at which
material dispersion and waveguide
dispersion cancel one another.
 In all silica-based optical fibers, minimum
material dispersion occurs naturally at a
wavelength of approximately 1300 nm.

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Scattering

 Scattering is the loss of signal caused by the diffusion of a light beam.

Figure 3: Scattering loss

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Attenuation

 Attenuation is the rate at which the signal light decreases in intensity.

 The attenuation of the optical fiber is a result of two factors, absorption and
scattering.
 Absorption is caused by the absorption of the light and conversion to heat by
molecules in the glass.

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Polarization

 A beam of light can be thought of as being composed of two orthogonal field

components.
 A light wave that is vibrating in more than one plane is known as unpolarized
light.
 Types:
✓ Linear polarization
✓ Circular polarization
✓ Elliptical polarization

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Resonant Cavities

➢ A cavity resonator is a space surrounded by a rectangular- or cylindrical-

shape metal conductor that can confine electromagnetic waves by
reflecting them back and forth between the cavity's boundaries.

➢ Applications:
✓ Filters
✓ Sources
✓ Frequency Sensors

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Reflection at Plane Boundary

➢ Problem concerning the amount of light reflected at a boundary is

important to determine.

✓ The air to glass boundaries

✓ Interface between the core and surrounding layer
✓ Two air-glass boundary where there is a air gap between 2 fiber

𝑛1−𝑛2
➢ The reflection coeffcient ρ=
𝑛1+𝑛2
Where, n1= refractive index in the incident region
n2 = refractive index in the transmitted region

𝑛1−𝑛2 2
➢ The reflectance R = ( )
𝑛1+𝑛2

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Slab Waveguide

➢ An optical waveguide is a physical structure that guides electromagnetic

waves in the optical spectrum.

➢ basic principles behind optical waveguides can be described using the

concepts of geometrical or ray optics.

➢ The slab waveguide consists of three layers of materials with different

dielectric constants

➢ Light is confined in the middle layer by total internal reflection if the

refractive index of the middle layer is larger than that of the
surrounding layers.

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Symmetry & Asymmetry Waveguide

 In a symmetric planar waveguide, the optical constants of the upper and

lower cladding are equal
 Types:
▪ TE
▪ TM

➢ Asymmetric planar waveguide - When the optical constants of the upper and
lower cladding mediums are different, then the structure forms an
asymmetric planar waveguide.

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Integrated Optic Components
 The basic structure of an optical fiber consists of three parts the core, the cladding, and
the coating or buffer.

 Core :
❑ cylindrical rod of dielectric material
❑ index of refraction n1.
❑ made of glass

Figure 1: Structure of optical fiber

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Basic Structure of an Optical Fiber
 The core is surrounded by a layer of material called the cladding. Even though light will
propagate along the fiber core without the layer of cladding material, the cladding does
perform some necessary functions.

 Cladding layer:
❑ made of a dielectric material
❑ index of refraction n2.
❑ n2<n1
❑ generally made of glass or plastic.

Figure 1: Structure of optical fiber[1]

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Basic Structure of an Optical Fiber
 Can you now think of a reason as to why this would be necessary?

 As a matter of fact, the cladding is not essential for light propagation.

But it increases efficiency and reduces scattering losses in addition to
providing mechanical strength. So we might as well as use it!

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Basic Structure of an Optical Fiber

 Functions of cladding:
❑ Reduces loss of light from the core into the
surrounding air
❑ Reduces scattering loss at the surface of the core
❑ Adds mechanical strength.

Figure 1: Structure of optical fiber[1]

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Basic Structure of an Optical Fiber
 For extra protection, the cladding is enclosed in an additional layer called the coating
or buffer. The coating or buffer is a layer of material used to protect an optical fiber
from physical damage.

 Coating/Buffer :
❑ material used for a buffer is a type of
plastic.
❑ is elastic in nature and prevents abrasions
❑ also prevents the optical fiber from Figure 2: Bending
scattering losses caused by microbends.

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Types of fiber

 Based on mode :
❑ Single mode : propagates in one mode.
❑ Multi mode : propagates more than one light.

Figure 5: Multimode and single mode 22

Types of fiber
 Based on refractive index:
❑ Step index fiber : The refractive index of the core is uniform throughout and
undergoes on abrupt change at the core cladding boundary
❑ Graded index fiber : The refractive index of the core is made to vary
gradually such that it is maximum at the center of the core.

Figure 6: Single index & graded index fiber

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Types of fiber

 Based on refractive index:

❑ Step index fiber
❑ Graded index fiber

Figure 7: Single index & graded index fiber

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Types of fiber

 Based on material :
❑ Plastic core, glass cladding
❑ Glass core, plastic cladding
❑ Glass core, glass cladding
❑ Plastic core, plastic cladding

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Coupling

 Method of integrating light into optical fiber.

 Types:
▪ Edge Coupling
▪ Prism Coupling
▪ Grating Coupling

➢ Edge Coupling: Laser diode is attached to the edge of the fiber.

➢ Problems: a. The source must be no larger than the core
b. Achieving desired angle in the core is difficult

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Coupling

➢ Prism Coupling: Introduces light into an integrated optic circuit.

➢ Extraction energy at TIR is called frustrated TIR.
➢ Problems: a. The film being added must be in phase with the
wave already present

 Grating Coupling:

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Thank you