Scribd
Upload
111 views33 pages

Fiber-Optic Communication Systems An Introduction: Xavier Fernando Ryerson University

Fiber-optic communication systems have evolved over generations from 1974 to present. Early systems used multimode fiber and semiconductor lasers at 0.8 μm but had limitations due to fiber attenuation and dispersion. Later systems improved to using single-mode fiber at 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm windows with lower attenuation allowing greater distances between repeaters. Current systems use erbium-doped fiber amplifiers and wavelength-division multiplexing to transmit multiple signals simultaneously over long distances. This document provides an overview of the technology and performance improvements in fiber-optic communication systems over time.

Uploaded by

Dila ZF
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
111 views33 pages

Fiber-Optic Communication Systems An Introduction: Xavier Fernando Ryerson University

Fiber-optic communication systems have evolved over generations from 1974 to present. Early systems used multimode fiber and semiconductor lasers at 0.8 μm but had limitations due to fiber attenuation and dispersion. Later systems improved to using single-mode fiber at 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm windows with lower attenuation allowing greater distances between repeaters. Current systems use erbium-doped fiber amplifiers and wavelength-division multiplexing to transmit multiple signals simultaneously over long distances. This document provides an overview of the technology and performance improvements in fiber-optic communication systems over time.

Uploaded by

Dila ZF
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 33

Fiber-Optic

Communication Systems
An Introduction
Xavier Fernando
Ryerson University
ADROIT Lab

Why Optical Communications?


Optical Fiber is the backbone of modern
communication networks
Voice (SONET/Telephony) - The largest traffic
Video (TV) over Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC)
Fiber Twisted Pair for Digital Subscriber Loops
(DSL)
Multimedia (Voice, Data and Video) over DSL
or HFC

Information revolution wouldnt have


happened without the Optical Fiber

Why Optical Communications?


Lowest attenuation attenuation in the optical fiber
(at 1.3 m and 1.55 m bands) is much smaller than
electrical attenuation in any cable at useful
modulation frequencies
Much greater repeater-less distances are possible
Optical attenuation is independent of modulation frequency

Bandwidth/ broadband high-speed rich content


Single Mode Fiber (SMF) offers the lowest dispersion
highest bandwidth

An SMF optical communication system can be


upgraded to higher bandwidth by replacing only the
transmitters and receivers

Why Optical Communications


for you?
Most Electrical and Computer Engineers
will eventually work in Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) area
Canada produces 40% of the worlds
optoelectronic products
Some of the worlds leading Photonic
Facilities are located in this region
(Ottawa, Quebec)

The UUNet Commercial Internet

Optical Communication Systems


Digital fiber optic (SONET) systems
Microwave (analog) fiber optic (MFO)
Systems
Radio over fiber systems for wireless
communications (ROF)
Line of sight Infrared fixed wireless
systems (Free Space Optics)
Diffused infrared indoor wireless systems

Digital Fiber Optic Systems


(SONET/SDH)
High speed inter-city, intra-city, WAN
type network with well defined
standards and bit rates up 6.4 Tb/s
(Nortel Networks OPTera 5000)

Synchronous Optical Networks


SONET is the TDM optical network
standard for North America (called SDH
in the rest of the world)
We focus on the physical layer
STS-1, Synchronous Transport Signal
consists of 810 bytes over 125 us
27 bytes carry overhead information
Remaining 783 bytes: Synchronous
Payload Envelope

SONET/SDH Bit Rates


SONET

Bit Rate (Mbps)

SDH

OC-1

51.84

OC-3

155.52

STM-1

OC-12

622.08

STM-4

OC-24

1244.16

STM-8

OC-48

2488.32

STM-16

OC-96

4976.64

STM-32

OC-192

9953.28

STM-64

Microwave Fiber Optic (MFO)


Analog Systems
Conventionally used for CATV
Distribution (Fiber-Coax Systems)
and recently for multimedia
delivery via high-speed internet
cable modems

Analog Systems
Modulating signal is analog (RF)
Several RF carriers can be transmitted
over a single fiber in FDM manner called
Sub Carrier Multiplexing
Each RF Carrier is an independent
communication channel
Ex: CATV Systems

Linearity is the biggest concern

Sub-Carrier Multiplexing

Hybrid/Fiber Coax (HFC) TV


Networks

Public Switched Telephone


Network (PSTN)

Multimedia over Fiber


(Synch. Optical Network)

Optical Access Network

Radio over Fiber (ROF) for


Wireless Systems
A subset of MFO systems However,
the microwave signal is transmitted
into the free-space to give wireless
access and mobility. Gives unique
challenges.

The Technology

RAP
RT

RAP

Fiber Distribution

Consistent
High
Data Rate
Everywhere

Dramatic Increase in Capacity !!

RAP

Multi Standard Fiber-Wireless


Central
Base
Station

Radio over Fiber (ROF)

RAP
(Simple)

Up/Down links
Y

RAP

802.11

RAP

Single ROF link can support voice and


data simultaneously

Micro
Cell

voice

Major elements of an optical fiber link

Optical fiber
cable
installations

Telecom / Data Networks


Telecom networks
Have been around for more than a century
Rich in service features for voice communications, but high in cost
Switching is used to eliminate the need for direct connections between all
nodes in the network
Basic unit is the 64-kb/s voice circuit
64-kb/s circuits are multiplexed into higher-bit-rate formats
(SONET/SDH)

Data networks

Have evolved since the early 1960s from time-sharing systems to the Internet
Bare-bones service at very low cost
Basic unit is the packet or frame, not a fixed amount of bandwidth
Routing is used to eliminate the need for direct connections between all
nodes in the network

Good Old Days of


Telecom Systems
Analog voice circuits between customers and central office
Maximum frequency transmitted: 4 kHz
Carried on a single twisted copper-wire pair
Analog inter-central-office trunks:
Required repeaters every 2 km
Duct diameter (10 cm) limited the number of circuits
Bell Labs solution (1962): Digital interoffice trunks using DS-1
(Digital Signal Type 1) signals
A voice signal digitized at a sampling rate of 8 kHz is DS-0 (64
kbits/s)
T-1 carrier systems used since 1962: DS-1 carried on twisted pair
wires,
with repeaters every 2 km to remove electromagnetic crosstalk and
to
compensate for attenuation

Digital Transmission Hierarchy

Called Telephony or T-Networks


Uses Copper

First Generation Fiber Optic


Systems
Purpose:
Eliminate repeaters in T-1 systems used in inter-office
trunk lines
Technology:
0.8 m GaAs semiconductor lasers
Multimode silica fibers
Limitations:
Fiber attenuation
Intermodal dispersion
Deployed since 1974

Second Generation Systems


Opportunity:
Development of low-attenuation fiber (removal of H2O and
other impurities)
Eliminate repeaters in long-distance lines
Technology:
1.3 m multi-mode semiconductor lasers
Single-mode, low-attenuation silica fibers
DS-3 signal: 28 multiplexed DS-1 signals carried at 44.736
Mbits/s
Limitation:
Fiber attenuation (repeater spacing 6 km)
Deployed since 1978

Third Generation Systems


Opportunity:
Deregulation of long-distance market
Technology:
1.55 m single-mode semiconductor lasers
Single-mode, low-attenuation silica fibers
OC-48 signal: 810 multiplexed 64-kb/s voice channels
carried at 2.488 Gbits/s
Limitations:
Fiber attenuation (repeater spacing 40 km)
Fiber dispersion
Deployed since 1982

Fourth Generation Systems


Opportunity:
Development of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA)
Technology (deployment began in 1994):
1.55 m single-mode, narrow-band semiconductor lasers
Single-mode, low-attenuation, dispersion-shifted silica fibers
Wavelength-division multiplexing of 2.5 Gb/s or 10 Gb/s signals
Nonlinear effects limit the following system parameters:
Signal launch power
Propagation distance without regeneration/re-clocking
WDM channel separation
Maximum number of WDM channels per fiber
Polarization-mode dispersion limits the following parameters:
Propagation distance without regeneration/re-clocking

Evolution of Optical Networks

History of
Attenuation

Three
Windows
based on
Wavelength

You might also like