227-0301-00L  Optical Communication Fundamentals

SemesterAutumn Semester 2019
LecturersJ. Leuthold
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish


AbstractThe path of an analog signal in the transmitter to the digital world in a communication link and back to the analog world at the receiver is discussed. The lecture covers the fundamentals of all important optical and optoelectronic components in a fiber communication system. This includes the transmitter, the fiber channel and the receiver with the electronic digital signal processing elements.
ObjectiveAn in-depth understanding on how information is transmitted from source to destination. Also the mathematical framework to describe the important elements will be passed on. Students attending the lecture will further get engaged in critical discussion on societal, economical and environmental aspects related to the on-going exponential growth in the field of communications.
Content* Chapter 1: Introduction: Analog/Digital conversion, The communication channel, Shannon channel capacity, Capacity requirements.

* Chapter 2: The Transmitter: Components of a transmitter, Lasers, The spectrum of a signal, Optical modulators, Modulation formats.

* Chapter 3: The Optical Fiber Channel: Geometrical optics, The wave equations in a fiber, Fiber modes, Fiber propagation, Fiber losses, Nonlinear effects in a fiber.

* Chapter 4: The Receiver: Photodiodes, Receiver noise, Detector schemes (direct detection, coherent detection), Bit-error ratios and error estimations.

* Chapter 5: Digital Signal Processing Techniques: Digital signal processing in a coherent receiver, Error detection teqchniques, Error correction coding.

* Chapter 6: Pulse Shaping and Multiplexing Techniques: WDM/FDM, TDM, OFDM, Nyquist Multiplexing, OCDMA.

* Chapter 7: Optical Amplifiers : Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers, Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers, Raman Amplifiers.
Lecture notesLecture notes are handed out.
LiteratureGovind P. Agrawal; "Fiber-Optic Communication Systems"; Wiley, 2010
Prerequisites / NoticeFundamentals of Electromagnetic Fields & Bachelor Lectures on Physics.