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
 Mode of fiber
 V parameter
 Step Index
 Graded Index
 Math Problems
 Attenuation
 Scattering
 Dispersion

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Modes in a fiber
 A mode in optical transmission is a ray of light entering the core at a
particular angle
 Modes in a fiber depends on V parameter. V is the normalized frequency of
a fiber.

 For single mode :

 For multimode fiber :

V>2.406
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V Parameter
 V number decides the number of modes
 V can be defined as -

U and W are the eigenvalues in the core and cladding respectively.

• a = radius of core
• n1= refractive index of core
• n2= refractive index of cladding
• k = 2𝜋/λ
• β = propagation constant
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V parameter

 Now, V= 𝑎2(𝑛12𝑘2 − β2) + 𝑎2(β2 − 𝑛22𝑘2)

= 𝑎2𝑘2(𝑛12 − 𝑛22)
= 𝑎𝑘 (𝑛12 − 𝑛22)
2𝜋
=𝑎 (𝑛12 − 𝑛22)
λ
2𝜋
=𝑎 (NA)
λ

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Step Index Fiber

 The optical fiber with a core of constant refractive index n1 and a cladding
of a slightly lower refractive index n2 is known as step index fiber
 Types:
▪ Single mode step index
▪ Multimode step index

 The refractive index profile may be defined

as

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Step Index Fiber
 The single-mode step index fiber has the advantage of low intermodal dispersion as
only one mode is transmitted
 Multimode step index fiber dispersion may occur due to the differing group velocities
of the propagating modes
 However, for lower bandwidth applications multimode fibers have several advantages
over single-mode fibers.
❑ The use of spatially incoherent optical sources which cannot be efficiently coupled to
single-mode fibers
❑ Larger numerical apertures, as well as core diameters, facilitating easier coupling to
optical sources
❑ Lower tolerance requirements on fiber connectors

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V vs M for Step Index

 The number of modes M –

2𝐴
𝑀= Ω
λ2
Where, A = area of core = 𝜋a2

Ω = solid acceptance angle = 𝜋ϴ2

Now, NA = √((𝑛12−𝑛22)) = sinϴa 𝑽𝟐
For small values of ϴa, sinϴa ~ ϴa
M= 𝟐
So, NA = √((𝑛12−𝑛22)) = ϴa
2𝐴 2𝜋a2 2𝜋2a2 1 2𝜋a 𝑉2
Now, 𝑀 = 2 Ω = 2 𝜋(𝑛12−𝑛22) = 2 (𝑛12−𝑛22) = ( (𝑛12−𝑛22))2 =
λ λ λ 2 λ 2

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Graded Index Fiber

 Graded index fibers do not have a constant refractive index in the core but a
decreasing core index with radial distance from a maximum value of n1
 This index variation may be represented as:

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Graded Index Fiber
 α is the profile parameter which gives the characteristic refractive index profile of
the fiber core.
 when α = ∞ , it will act as step index profile
Optimum
 when α = 2, it will act as parabolic profile when
α=2
 when α = 1, triangular profile

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V vs M for Graded Index
Graded index fibers may also be
designed for single-mode operation.
The cutoff value of normalized
 The number of modes M – frequency Vc to support a single
𝑉2α mode in a graded index fiber is
𝑀=( )
α+2 2 given by:
1 𝑉2 1 𝑉2 𝑉2
 if α = ∞ , 𝑀 = = = (step index)
1+α2 2 1+∞2 2 2

1 𝑉2 1 𝑉2 𝑉2
 if α = 2, 𝑀 = = =
1+α
2
2 1+ 2 2 4
2
1 𝑉2 1 𝑉2 𝑉2
 if α = 1, 𝑀 = = =
1+α 2
2 1+ 2 2 6
1

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Math

 Example-1: A silica optical fiber with a core diameter large enough to be

considered by ray theory analysis has a core refractive index of 1.50 and a
cladding refractive index of 1.47
Determine: (a) the critical angle at the core–cladding interface;
(b) the NA for the fiber;
(c) the acceptance angle in air for the fiber.

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Math

 Example-2: A multimode step index fiber with a core diameter of 80 μm and

a relative index difference of 1.5% is operating at a wavelength of 0.85 μm.
If the core refractive index is 1.48
Estimate: (a) the normalized frequency for the fiber;
(b) the number of guided modes fiber.

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Math

 Example-3: A graded index fiber has a core with a parabolic refractive index
profile which has a diameter of 50 μm. The fiber has a numerical aperture of
0.2. Estimate the total number of guided modes propagating in the fiber
when it is operating at a wavelength of 1 μm.

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Math
 Example-4: Estimate the maximum core diameter for an optical fiber with the
relative refractive index difference of 1.5% and core refractive index 1.48 in order
that it may be suitable for single-mode operation. The fiber is operating at the
wavelength of 0.85 μm. Further, estimate the new maximum core diameter for
single-mode operation when the relative refractive index difference is reduced by a
factor of 10.

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Math
 Example-5: A graded index fiber with a parabolic refractive index profile core has a
refractive index at the core axis of 1.5 and a relative index difference of 1%.
Estimate the maximum possible core diameter which allows single-mode operation
at a wavelength of 1.3 μm.

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Single-Mode Characteristic

w0
 Mode Field Diameter (MFD)
 Spot Size
 Effective area
 Cutoff Wavelength

 Mode Field Diameter (MFD): The mode field can be considered the effective
core of the fiber although the real core size is typically somewhat smaller.
-> Determine by the point where the field is reduced by 1/e
the power is reduced by 1/e2
 MFD = 2w0 where w0 is the nominal half width of the input excitation

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Single-Mode Characteristic

w0
 Spot Size: w0 = MFD/2; Spot size is nothing but the radius
of the beam itself

 Effective area: It is the area of the cross section of the

beam into the fiber.

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 Why LPlm
Single-Mode Characteristic Generally, light source- arbitrary
polarized, which finds 2 solution in the
orthogonal directions. l represents half
number of variations along
 Cutoff Wavelength: The cutoff wavelength is the minimum
azimuthal direction, and m represents
wavelength in which a particular fiber still acts as a single number of variations along radial
mode fiber. direction.
Above the cutoff wavelength, the fiber will only allow the
LP01 mode to propagate through the fiber (fiber is a single
mode fiber at this wavelength).
Below the cutoff wavelength, higher order modes, i.e.
LP11, LP21, LP02, etc will be able to propagate (fiber becomes
a multimode fiber at this wavelength).
Single mode operation only occurs above a theoretical
cutoff wavelength λc.

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Math
 Example-6: Determine the cutoff wavelength for a step index fiber to exhibit
single-mode operation when the core refractive index and radius are 1.46 and 4.5
μm, respectively, with the relative index difference being 0.25%.

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Attenuation

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

 Transmission loses limit the total length of the path. There are several points
that a optic system where losses occur. They are at channel input coupler,
splices and connectors as well as within the fiber itself.
 Fiber losses in the range (0.05-1.6)micro meter.
 Generally fibers are made of glass/plastics.
 Glass fiber generally have lower absorption than plastic fibers, so they are
preferred for long distance.

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Attenuation

𝑉𝑖
𝛼𝐿 = 20 𝑙𝑜𝑔
 Attenuation loss αL is calculated by 𝑉0
𝑃𝑖
𝛼𝐿 = 10 𝑙𝑜𝑔
𝑃0 𝐼𝑖
𝛼𝐿 = 20 𝑙𝑜𝑔
 Where, αL = attenuation loss in dB 𝐼0

Pi = input power
Po = output power
 Attenuation coefficient α can be calculated by
10 𝑃𝑖
α= 𝑙𝑜𝑔
𝐿 𝑃0
 Where, L = length of fiber

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Attenuation

 Problem 1: When the optical power launched into a 10km length fiber is
100μW, the optical power at fiber output is 5 μW. Calculate –
a. Overall Signal attenuation in dB
b. Signal attenuation per km
c. The overall signal attenuation for a 12km optical link using same fiber
with splices at 1km interval, each giving attenuation of 0.5 dB.
Answer: a) 13.01 db
b) 21.2 db

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Attenuation

 Problem 2: A continuous 12 km long optical fiber link has a loss of 1.5 dB/km
a. What is the minimum optical power level that must be launched into the
fiber to maintain an optical level of 0.3 μW at receiving end.
b. What is the required input power if the fiber has a loss of 2.5 dB/km.
Answer: a) Pin = 18.92 μW
b) Pin = 300 μW

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Attenuation

 Problem 3: An optical signal at specific wavelength has a loss of 55% of its

power after travelling 3.5 km of fiber. What is the attenuation in dB/km in
this fiber.
Answer: 0.988 db/km

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Types of Attenuation

 Loss occurring in glass fiber can be classified as Absorption, Scattering.

 Absorption:
 Intrinsic absorption: Internal property of a fiber or glass material.
Occurs at a specific wavelength.
Very strong in short wavelength ultraviolet
portion.
It results from: 1. Electronic absorption bands
2. Atomic vibration bonds
 Extrinsic absorption: Because of impurity, bubble/others molecule.
More significant then intrinsic loss.
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Types of Attenuation

 Scattering:
 Linear scattering loss:
 Rayleigh scattering
 Mie scattering:
 Non linear scattering loss:
 Stimulated Brilliouin Scattering
 Stimulted Raman Scattering

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Scattering

 Due to non uniformities in fiber optic cable; a straight line path of light rays
gets deviated. It is referred as scattering.
 It will attenuate the signal as it will lose its energy.

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Scattering

 In case of optical cable; some of the optical power from one propagating
mode gets transferred to another mode(unwanted).
 This transfer of power takes place through the leaky or radiation mode.
 This leaky mode does not continue to propagate with in the fiber core, but it
is radiated out from the fiber. It is scattering loss.
 In case of multimode fibers,( need to add impurities) scattering losses are
more, less in single mode fiber.

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Linear scattering

 In case of Linear Scattering optical power transferred from one mode to

another mode. But there is no change in frequency on the scattering.

 There are two types of linear scattering

 Rayleigh Scattering
 Mie Scattering

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Rayleigh Scattering

 This scattering takes place in all directions.

1
 Scattering ∝
λ4

 Thus if we transmit the data through the fiber optic cable at higher
wavelength; the scattering is minimized.
 Higher the wavelength, lower the scattering loss

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Mie scattering

 This is a linear scattering which is always in forward direction.

 Mie scattering results significant attenuation depending upon fiber material,
size, design and manufacturing process.

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Mie scattering

 Factors responsible for Mie scattering are as follows

 Cylindrical structure of cable is not perfect.
 Imperfection of core and cladding interface.
 Core and cladding refractive index is not uniform through out of fiber.
 Due to Bubble or strain in fiber.

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Non linear scattering

 When the optical power is transferred from one mode to other mode or
same mode with different frequency; Non Linear scattering happens.
 This scattering takes place either in forward or backward direction.
 There are two types of Non linear scattering
 Stimulated Brilliouin Scattering
 Stimulted Raman Scattering

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Stimulated Brilliouin Scattering

 When the laser light beam is travelling in optical cable; there are variations in
an electric field of this beam.
 This frequency shift is maximum in the backward direction.

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Stimulted Raman Scattering

 When a laser light is travelling through optical cable; the spontaneous

scattering takes place.
 Some of the photons are transferred to the near frequencies.
 Stokes Shift: When photons lose energy
 Antistokes shift: When photons gain energy

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Dispersion

 Dispersion is the spreading of light pulse as its travels

down the length of an optical fiber. Dispersion limits
the bandwidth or information carrying capacity of a
fiber
 Types:
✓ Modal dispersion/Intermodal dispersion
✓ Chromatic dispersion/Intramodal dispersion
✓ Waveguide Dispersion
✓ Material Dispersion
✓ Polarization mode dispersion

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Intramodal vs Intermodal

Intermodal Intramodal
It takes place only in multimode It takes place in single mode and
fibers. multimode fibers.

It is also called as modal dispersion. It is also called as material dispersion.

More pulse broadening. Less pulse broadening.

Occurs due to various group velocity. Occurs because different colors light
travel with different speed.

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Thank you