WDM Concept and

Components
EE 8114
Course Notes
Part 1: WDM Concept
Evolution of the Technology
 Why WDM?
Capacity upgrade of existing fiber
networks (without adding fibers)
Transparency: Each optical channel can
carry any transmission format
(different asynchronous bit rates,
analog or digital)
Scalability Buy and install equipment
for additional demand as needed
Wavelength routing and switching:
Wavelength is used as another
dimension to time and space
 Wavelength Division
Multiplexing

Each wavelength is like a separate

channel (fiber)
 Ex: SONET

TDM Vs WDM
 Wavelength Division
Multiplexing

Passive/active devices are needed to

combine, distribute, isolate and amplify
optical power at different wavelengths
 WDM, CWDM and DWDM
WDM technology uses multiple wavelengths to
transmit information over a single fiber
Coarse WDM (CWDM) has wider channel spacing (20
nm) low cost
Dense WDM (DWDM) has dense channel spacing (0.8
nm) which allows simultaneous transmission of 16+
wavelengths high capacity
 WDM and DWDM
First WDM networks used just two
wavelengths, 1310 nm and 1550 nm
Today's DWDM systems utilize 16, 32,64,128
or more wavelengths in the 1550 nm window
Each of these wavelength provide an
independent channel (Ex: each may transmit
10 Gb/s digital or SCMA analog)
The range of standardized channel grids
includes 50, 100, 200 and 1000 GHz spacing
Wavelength spacing practically depends on:
laser linewidth
optical filter bandwidth
ITU-T Standard Transmission
DWDM windows
c
2

 Principles of DWDM
BW of a modulated laser: 10-50 MHz 0.001 nm
Typical Guard band: 0.4 1.6 nm
80 nm or 14 THz @1300 nm band
120 nm or 15 THz @ 1550 nm
Discrete wavelengths form individual channels
that can be modulated, routed and switched
individually
These operations require variety of passive and
active devices
c
2 Ex. 10.1

Nortel OPTERA 640 System

64 wavelengths each carrying

 DWDM Limitations
Theoretically large number of
channels can be packed in a fiber
For physical realization of DWDM
networks we need precise
wavelength selective devices
Optical amplifiers are imperative
to provide long transmission
distances without repeaters
Part II: WDM Devices
 Key Components for
WDM
Passive Optical Components
Wavelength Selective Splitters
Wavelength Selective Couplers
Active Optical Components
Tunable Optical Filter
Tunable Source
Optical amplifier
Add-drop Multiplexer and De-multiplexer
Photo detector
Responsivity
Photo detectors are
sensitive over wide
spectrum (600 nm).
Hence, narrow optical
filters needed to
separate channels
before the
detection in DWDM
systems
 Passive Devices
These operate completely in the
optical domain (no O/E conversion)
and does not need electrical power
Split/combine light stream Ex: N X N
couplers, power splitters, power taps
and star couplers
Technologies: - Fiber based or
Optical waveguides based
Micro (Nano) optics based
Fabricated using optical fiber or
waveguide (with special material like
Filter, Multiplexer and
Router
 Basic Star Coupler
May have N inputs and M outputs

Can be wavelength
selective/nonselective
Up to N =M = 64, typically N, M < 10
 Fused-Biconical coupler OR
Directional coupler

P3, P4 extremely low ( -70 dB below Po)

Coupling / Splitting Ratio = P2/(P1+P2)
If P1=P2 It is called 3-dB coupler
 Fused Biconical Tapered
Coupler
Fabricated by twisting together, melting
and pulling together two single mode fibers
They get fused together over length W;
tapered section of length L; total draw
length = L+W
Significant decrease in V-number in the
coupling region; energy in the core leak out
and gradually couples into the second fibre
 Definitions
Splitting (Coupling) Ratio = P2 ( P1 P2 )

Excess Loss =10 Log[ P0 ( P1 P2 )]

Insertion Loss =10 Log[ Pin Pout ]

Crosstalk = 10 Log( P3 P0 )
Try Ex. 10.2
 P1 P0 cos2 (z )

P2 P0 sin 2 (z )

Coupler
characteri
stics

: Coupling Coefficient
 Coupler Characteristics
power ratio between both output can
be changed by adjusting the draw length
of a simple fused fiber coupler

It can be made a WDM de-multiplexer:

Example, 1300 nm will appear output 2 (p2) and
1550 nm will appear at output 1 (P1)
However, suitable only for few wavelengths that
are far apart, not good for DWDM
 Wavelength Selective
Devices
These perform their operation on the
incoming optical signal as a function of
the wavelength
Examples:
Wavelength add/drop multiplexers
Wavelength selective optical
combiners/splitters
Wavelength selective switches and
routers
 Fused-Fiber Star
Coupler

Splitting Loss = -10 Log(1/N) dB = 10 Log (

Excess Loss = 10 Log (Total Pin/Total Pout)
Fused couplers have high excess loss
 8x8 bi-directional star coupler
by cascading 3 stages of 3-dB
,
Couplers
1 , ,
2 1 2 5 6

1, 2 3, 4 7, 8

N (12 = 4 X 3)
Number of 3-dB Couplers N c = log 2 N Try Ex. 10.5
2
Fiber Bragg
Grating
 Fiber Bragg Grating
This is invented at Communication
Research Center, Ottawa, Canada
The FBG has changed the way
optical filtering is done
The FBG has so many applications
The FBG changes a single mode
fiber (all pass filter) into a
wavelength selective filter
 Fiber Brag Grating (FBG)
Basic FBG is an in-fiber passive optical
band reject filter
FBG is created by imprinting a periodic
perturbation in the fiber core
The spacing between two adjacent slits
is called the pitch
Grating play an important role in:
Wavelength filtering
Dispersion compensation
Optical sensing
EDFA Gain flattening
Single mode lasers and many more areas
 Bragg Grating formation

2 sin( / 2) uv
 FBG Theory
Exposure to the high intensity UV radiation
changes the fiber core n(z) permanently
as a periodic function of z

n( z ) ncore n[1 cos(2z / )]

z: Distance measured along fiber core axis

: Pitch of the grating
ncore: Core refractive index
n: Peak refractive index
Reflection at FBG
Simple De-multiplexing
Function

Reflected Wavelength B 2neff

Peak Reflectivity Rmax = tanh2(kL)
Wavelength Selective
DEMUX
 Dispersion
Compensation

Longer wavelengths
take more time

Reverse the operation of

dispersive fiber
Shorter wavelengths
take more time
 ADD/DROP MUX

FBG Reflects in both directions; it is bidirectional

Extended Add/Drop
Mux
 FBG for DFB Laser

Only one wavelength gets positive feedback

single mode Distributed Feed Back laser
Advanced Grating
Profiles
 FBG Properties
Advantages
Easy to manufacture, low cost, ease of coupling
Minimal insertion losses approx. 0.1 db or less
Passive devices

Disadvantages
Sensitive to temperature and strain.
Any change in temperature or strain in a FBG
causes the grating period and/or the effective
refractive index to change, which causes the
Bragg wavelengthto neffchange.
neff
neff T
T
Unique Application of FBG
Resonance Cavity with FBG
Transmission Characteristics
Experimental Set-Up
 What is the wavelength
separation when RF
separation 50 MHz?
Interferometers
 Interferometer
An interferometric device uses 2 interfering paths of
different lengths to resolve wavelengths
Typical configuration: two 3-dB directional couplers
connected with 2 paths having different lengths

Applications:
wideband filters (coarse WDM) that separate
signals at1300 nm from those at 1550 nm
narrowband filters: filter bandwidth depends on the
number of cascades (i.e. the number of 3-dB
couplers connected)
 Basic Mach-Zehnder
Interferometer

Phase shift of the propagating wave increases with L,

Constructive or destructive interference depending on L
 Mach-Zehnder
Interferometer
Phase shift at the output due to the
propagation path length difference:
2 neff
L

If the power from both inputs (at different
wavelengths) to be added at output port
2, then,
1 1
2 neff L
1 2

Try Ex. 10-6

 Four-Channel Wavelength
Multiplexer

By appropriately selecting L, wavelength

multiplexing/de-multiplexing can be
achieved
MZI- Demux Example
Arrayed Wave Guide
Filters

Each waveguide
has
slightly different
length
Phase Array Based WDM
Devices
The arrayed waveguide is a
generalization of 2x2 MZI multiplexer
The lengths of adjacent waveguides
differ by a constant L
Different wavelengths get multiplexed
(multi-inputs one output) or de-
multiplexed (one input multi output)
For wavelength routing applications
multi-input multi-output routers are
available
 Diffraction Gratings
source impinges on a diffraction grating ,each wavelength
is diffracted at a different angle
Using a lens, these wavelengths can be focused onto
individual fibers.
Less channel isolation between closely spaced wavelengths.
 Generating Multiple
Wavelength for WDM
Networks
Discrete DFB lasers
Straight forward stable sources,
but expensive
Wavelength tunable DFB lasers
Multi-wavelength laser array
Integrated on the same substrate
Multiple quantum wells for better
optical and carrier confinement
Spectral slicing LED source and
comb filters
 Discrete Single-
Wavelength Lasers
Number of lasers into simple power
coupler; each emit one fixed wavelength
Expensive (multiple lasers)
Sources must be carefully controlled to
avoid wavelength drift
 Frequency Tuneable
Laser
Only one (DFB or DBR) laser that has
grating filter in the lasing cavity
Wavelength is tuned by either changing
the temperature of the grating (0.1
nm/OC)
Or by altering the injection current into
the passive section (0.006 nm/mA)
The tuning range decreases with the
optical output power
 Tunable Laser
Characteristics

Typically, tuning range 10-15 nm,

Channel spacing = 10 X Channel width
 Tunable Filters
Tunable filters are made by at least one
branch of an interferometric filter has its
Propagation length or
Refractive index altered by a control
mechanism
When these parameters change, phase of
the propagating light wave changes (as a
function of wavelength)
Hence, intensity of the added signal
changes (as a function of wavelength)
As a result, wavelength selectivity is
achieved
Tunable Optical
Filters
 Tuneable Filter
Considerations
Tuning Range (): 25 THz (or 200nm) for
the whole 1330 nm to 1500 nm. With EDFA
normally = 35 nm centered at 1550 nm
Channel Spacing (): the min. separation
between channels selected to minimize
crosstalk (30 dB or better)
Maximum Number of Channels (N = /
):
Tuning speed: Depends on how fast
switching needs to be done (usually
milliseconds)
 Issues in WDM
Networks
Nonlinear inelastic scattering
processes due to interactions between
light and molecular or acoustic
vibrations in the fibre
Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS)
Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS)
Nonlinear variations in the refractive
index due to varying light intensity
Self Phase Modulation (SPM)
Cross Phase Modulation (XPM)
Four Wave Mixing (FWM)
 Summary
DWDM plays an important role in high
capacity optical networks
Theoretically enormous capacity is possible
Practically wavelength selective (optical
signal processing) components and
nonlinear effects limit the performance
Passive signal processing elements like FBG,
AWG are attractive
Optical amplifications is imperative to
realize DWDM networks