University of Houston

Engineering Technology Department

ELET 6317: Optical Networking
Assignment 2

1. Do problems 2.2, 2.4, 3.24


2.2 A step-index multimode glass ber has a core diameter of 50 m and cladding refractive index of
1.45. If it is to have a limiting intermodal dispersion T of 10 ns/km, nd its acceptance angle. Also
calculate the maximum bit rate for transmission over a distance of 20 km.

Solution:
Given:
Core Diameter=50 um
N1= 1.5
N2= 1.45
Delta T= 10 ns/km
L= 20 km

Acceptance Angle= Sin ^ (-1) (n1^2-n2^2)^ (1/2)
= Sin ^ (-1) (1.5^2-1.45^2)^ (1/2)
=8.48 Degree

Del= (n1^2 n2^2)/(2*n2^2)
= 0.03

B (Bit Rate) < 0.5* (n2*C)/(n1^2*Del)
<0.5* (1.45*3*10^8)/(1.5^2*0.03)
< 0.161 Mbps

2.4 Derive an expression for the cutoff wavelength cutoff of a step-index ber with core radius a, core
refractive index n1, and cladding refractive index n2. Calculate the cutoff wavelength of a ber with
core radius a = 4 m and Del = 0.003. Assume n1 =1.5
Ans:
Del= (n1-n2)/n1
0.003=(1.5-n2)/1.5
So n2= 1.495
Assuming for single mode step-index fiber V=2 (As per textbook V should be less than 2.405)
cutoff = [2*Pi*a*(n1^2*n2^2)^(1/2)] /V
= [2*3.14*4*10^-6*(1.5^2*1.495^2)^(1/2)] /2
=2.17 Micrometer




3.24: This problem compares different simple add/drop multiplexer architectures.
(a) First consider the ber Bragg gratingbased add/drop element shown in Fig- ure 3.14(b).
Suppose a 5% tap is used to couple the added signal into the output, and the grating induces a
loss of 0.5 dB for the transmitted signals and no loss for the reected signal. Assume that the
circulator has a loss of 1 dB per pass. Carefully compute the loss seen by a channel that is
dropped, a channel that is added, and a channel that is passed through the device. Suppose the
input power per channel is 15 dBm. At what power should the add channel be transmitted so
that the powers on all the channels at the output are the same?

Ans: -15.14 dBm power should the add channel be transmitted so that the powers on all the
channels at the output are the same.


(b) Suppose you had to realize an add/drop multiplexer that drops and adds four wavelengths.
One possible way to do this is to cascade four add/drop elements of the type shown in Figure
3.14 in series. In this case, compute the best-case and worst-case loss seen by a channel that is
dropped, a channel that is added, and a channel that is passed through the device.
Ans:
Best Case: Channel that is dropped of 1
st
wavelength
Worst case: Channel that is dropped of 4
th
wavelength
Best Case: Channel that is added of 4
st
wavelength
Worst case: Channel that is added of 1
st
wavelength
Best Case: Channel that is passed through of 1
st
wavelength
Worst case: Channel that is passed through of 4
th
wavelength

(c) Another way to realize a four-channel add/drop multiplexer is shown in Figure 3.81. Repeat
the preceding exercise for this architecture. Assume that the losses are as shown in the gure.
Which of the two would you prefer from a loss perspective?

Ans: Losses observed by cascading of four add/drop elements as per figure 3.14 are less so it
more preferable as compared to cascading as per figure 3.81.

(d) Assume that ber gratings cost $500 each, circulators $3000 each, lters $1000 each, and
splitters, combiners, and couplers $100 each. Which of the two preceding architectures would
you prefer from a cost point of view?

Ans: Cost of architecture made as per figure 3.14 is $14400 and cost of architecture made as per
figure 3.81 is $6300. So architecture made as per figure 3.81 would be more preferable.

2. List the components used in optical communications and describe their function in a
typical communication system.



Couplers: Optical coupler provides termination to the end of an optical fiber, used to
connect or disconnect one fiber from another. Wavelength selective coupler depend on
the wavelength of the signal and separate the two signals in a common fiber.

Isolator and Circulators: Optical Isolator is a device that is interposed between two
systems to prevent one of them from having undesired effects on the other, while
transmitting desired signals between the systems by optical means. Optical isolators are
used for both electrical systems and optical systems such as lasers. An optical circulator
is a special fiber optic component that can be used to separate optical signals that travel in
opposite directions in an optical fiber, analogous to the operation of an electronic
circulator.


Multiplexers: Optical multiplexers are components specifically designed for wavelength
division multiplexing (WDM) systems. The demultiplexer undoes what the multiplexer
has done, it separates a multiplicity of wavelengths in a fiber and directs them to many
fibers. Optical add-drop Multiplexer selectively removes (drops) a wavelength from a
multiplicity of wavelengths in the fiber and thus from traffic on the particular channel. It
then adds in the same direction of data flow the same wavelength, but with different data
content.


Optical Amplifiers: A device that boosts light signals in an optical fiber network. Unlike
regenerators, which have to convert light to electricity in order to amplify it and then
convert it back again to light, the optical amplifier amplifies the light signal itself.

Transmitters: It is a device converting input electric signals into output optical signals
transmitted in an optical transmission medium. Optical transmitters consist of optical
sources and devices modulating optical radiation in accordance with an electric input
signal.


Detectors: It is a device whose change in state or response under the action of a flux of
optical radiation is used to detect the radiation, to measure the radiation, or to record and
analyze images of the radiating object. Optical detectors constitute the broadest class of
radiation detectors. In an optical detector radiant energy in the optical range is converted
into other forms of energy.

Switches: An all-optical fiber-optic switching device that maintains the signal as light
from input to output. Traditional switches that connect optical fiber lines are electro-
optic. They convert photons from the input side to electrons internally in order to do the
switching and then convert back to photons on the output side.

Wavelength Converters: Wavelength Converters in Optical Networks deals with the third
generation networks that use Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), wavelength
routed optical networking technology. This technology can efficiently utilize the
enormous bandwidth of the optical fiber and has been able to meet the emerging
integrated demands of the communication applications