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Lecture 3 - Adv, Disadv and Applications of OFC

Dr. Samarth Borkar Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering Goa College of Engineering Farmagudi Ponda Goa (INDIA) PIN 403401 www.samarthborkar.simplesite.com https://www.scribd.com/document/511271825/Lecture-2-Overview-of-Optical-Fiber-Communication

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190 views4 pages

Lecture 3 - Adv, Disadv and Applications of OFC

Dr. Samarth Borkar Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering Goa College of Engineering Farmagudi Ponda Goa (INDIA) PIN 403401 www.samarthborkar.simplesite.com https://www.scribd.com/document/511271825/Lecture-2-Overview-of-Optical-Fiber-Communication

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samarth
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LECTURE 3: CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION

A Course Material on

Optical Fiber Communication


Dr. Samarth Borkar
Dept. of Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering.
Goa College of Engineering.

Characteristics of Optical Fiber Communication

Advantages:
1. Wide bandwidth

The light wave occupies the frequency range between 2 x 1012 Hz to 3.7 x 1012 Hz. Thus the
information carrying capability of fiber optic cables is much higher.

2. Low losses

Fiber optic cables offers very less signal attenuation over long distances. Typically it is less than
1 dB/km. This enables longer distance between repeaters.

3. Immune to cross talk

Fiber optic cables has very high immunity to electrical and magnetic field. Since fiber optic
cables are non-conductors of electricity hence they do not produce magnetic field. Thus fiber
optic cables are immune to cross talk between cables caused by magnetic induction.

4. Interference immune

Fiber optic cables are immune to conductive and radiative interferences caused by electrical
noise sources such as lighting, electric motors, fluorescent lights.

5. Light weight

As fiber cables are made of silica glass or plastic which is much lighter than copper or aluminum
cables. Light weight fiber cables are cheaper to transport.

6. Small size
The diameter of fiber is much smaller compared to other cables, therefore fiber cable is small
in size, requires less storage space.
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LECTURE 3: CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION

7. More strength

Fiber cables are stronger and rugged hence can support more weight.

8. Security
Fiber cables are more secure than other cables. It is almost impossible to tap into a fiber cable
as they do not radiate signals. No ground loops exist between optical fibers hence they are more
secure.

9. Long distance transmission


Because of less attenuation transmission at a longer distance is possible.
10. Environment immune
Fiber cables are more immune to environmental extremes. They can operate over a large
temperature variations. Also they are not affected by corrosive liquids and gases.

11. Sage and easy installation

Fiber cables are safer and easier to install and maintain. They are non-conductors hence there
is no shock hazards as no current or voltage is associated with them. Their small size and light
weight feature makes installation easier.

12. Less cost

Cost of fiber optic system is less compared to any other system.

Disadvantages of Optical Fiber Communications


1. High initial cost
The initial cost of installation or setting up cost is very high compared to all other system.
2. Maintenance and repairing cost
The maintenance and repairing of fiber optic systems is not only difficult but expensive also.
3. Splicing (Jointing) and test procedures
Since optical fibers are of very small size. The fiber joining process is very costly and requires
skilled manpower.

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LECTURE 3: CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION

4. Tensile stress
Optical fibers are more susceptible to buckling, bending and tensile stress than copper cables.
This leads to restricted practice to use optical fiber technology to premises and floor backbones
with a few interfaces to the copper cables.

5. Short links
Even though optical fiber cables are inexpensive, it is still not cost effective to replace every
small conventional connector (e.g. between computers and peripherals), as the price of
optoelectronic transducers are very high.

6. Fiber losses
The amount of optical fiber available to the photodetector at the end of fiber length depends
on various fiber losses such as scattering, dispersion, attenuation and reflection.

Applications of Optical Fiber Communications


1. Telephone networks

Optical waveguide has low attenuation, high transmission bandwidth compared to copper
lines, therefore numbers of long haul co-axial trunks links between telephone exchanges are
being replaced by optical fiber links.

2. Urban broadband service networks


Optical waveguide provides much larger bandwidth than co-axial cable, also the number of
repeaters required is reduced considerably.
Modern suburban communications involves videotext, videoconferencing video-telephony,
switched broadband communication network. All these can be supplied over a single fiber optic
link. Fiber optic cables is the solution to many of today’s high speed, high bandwidth data
communication problems and will continue to play a large role in future telecom and data-com
networks.
3. Military Applications
Used as hydrophones for seismic waves and SONAR , as wiring in aircraft, submarines and
other vehicles and also for field networking
4. Civil Applications
5. Consumer Applications

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LECTURE 3: CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION

6. Industrial Applications
Used for imaging in hard to reach areas, as wiring where EMI is an issue, as sensory devices to
make temperature, pressure and other measurements, and as wiring in automobiles and in
industrial settings
7. Optical Sensor systems
8. Medical fields
Used as light guides, imaging tools and also as lasers for surgeries
9. Networking
Used to connect users and servers in a variety of network settings and help increase the speed
and accuracy of data transmission
10. Broadcast/CATV
Broadcast/cable companies are using fiber optic cables for wiring CATV, HDTV, internet, video
on-demand and other applications Fiber optic cables are used for lighting and imaging and as
sensors to measure and monitor a vast array of variables. Fiber optic cables are also used in
research and development and testing across all the above mentioned industries
The optical fibers have many applications. Some of them are as follows −
• Used in telephone systems
• Used in sub-marine cable networks
• Used in data link for computer networks, CATV Systems
• Used in CCTV surveillance cameras
• Used for connecting fire, police, and other emergency services.
• Used in hospitals, schools, and traffic management systems.
• They have many industrial uses and also used for in heavy duty constructions.

My lecture notes prepared over the years forms the resource material for this compilation. Most of the
material and figures have been taken from a wide collection of Textbooks, research papers, and review articles
published in journals/proceedings. Although this compilation has been created with utmost determination
and hard work still any kind of constructive criticism are always welcome and gratefully appreciated. I do not
lay any claims to original research therein but what I can claim is the way the contents have been presented.
Refer standard suggested textbooks for in-depth understanding. It is beyond the scope of this compilation to
cover all the aspects exhaustively. ~ Dr. Samarth Borkar, Goa College of Engineering.

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