DWDM Overview

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Wavelengths
Wavelengths
• To take advantage of the lower loss at 1550 nm, fiber was
developed for the C-band.

Band Name Wavelengths Description

O-band 1260 – 1360 nm Original band, PON upstream
E-band 1360 – 1460 nm Water peak band
S-band 1460 – 1530 nm PON downstream
Lowest attenuation, original WDM band, compatible with
C-band 1530 – 1565 nm
fiber amplifiers, CATV
L-band 1565 – 1625 nm Low attenuation, expanded DWDM band
Ultra-long wavelength
U-band 1625 – 1675 nm

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Wave Division Multiplexing
Wave Division Multiplexing
CWDM vs DWDM
CWDM- Coarse wavelength division multiplexing
DWDM- Dense wavelength division multiplexing

CWDM is used for lower cost, lower

capacity and shorter distance
applications where cost is an important factor.

DWDM supports 120 km long transmission span.

provide up to 400G per lambda, amplify whole C- band
with EDFA and supports 96 channels at 0.8 nm apart.
CWDM vs DWDM
Feature CWDM DWDM

Channel Spacing Wide spacing, typically 20 nm Narrow spacing, typically 0.8 nm to 0.4 nm

Supports up to 18 channels in the 1270– Supports up to 96+ channels in the C-band

Number of Channels
1610 nm range and L-band

Operates primarily in the C-band (1530–

Wavelength Range Operates across 1270–1610 nm
1565 nm) and L-band (1565–1625 nm)

More cost-effective due to simpler Higher cost due to tighter wavelength

Cost
technology control requirements

Does not typically use amplification Requires amplification (EDFA, Raman

Amplification
(e.g., EDFA) amplifiers) for long distances

Suitable for short to medium distances Suitable for long-haul distances (up to
Distance
(up to ~80 km) several thousand km with amplification)

Higher due to precise components and

Power Consumption Lower due to simpler components
amplification needs

Application Enterprise and metro networks Long-haul and high-capacity core networks

Requires temperature-controlled lasers and

Optical Components Uses less expensive optical components
precision components

Highly efficient due to dense channel

Bandwidth Utilization Less efficient due to fewer channels
packing
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing
Benefits of DWDM
High Bandwidth Utilization:
DWDM supports up to 96 or more channels on a single fiber, each carrying data at high speeds (e.g., 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, or
100 Gbps), maximizing fiber capacity.

Long-Distance Transmission:
DWDM systems use optical amplifiers like EDFA and Raman amplifiers to boost signals, enabling data transmission over
thousands of kilometers without significant signal degradation.

Scalability:
Easily upgradeable to higher data rates or more channels without laying additional fibers, ensuring future-proof network
designs.

Cost Efficiency:
Reduces the need for additional physical infrastructure by transmitting multiple wavelengths over the same fiber.

Support for Multiple Protocols:

DWDM can carry various data formats and protocols (e.g., Ethernet, SDH/SONET, and Fibre Channel) simultaneously,
enhancing network flexibility.
Benefits of DWDM
Efficient Resource Utilization:
Enables reuse of existing fiber infrastructure by increasing its capacity with minimal disruption.

Resilience and Redundancy:

Advanced features like protection switching and automatic restoration enhance network reliability and uptime.

Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation:

Allows flexible allocation of channels and wavelengths, adapting to changing traffic demands in real time.

Enhanced Signal Quality:

Tight wavelength control ensures minimal interference and crosstalk between channels, improving overall signal integrity.

Application Versatility:
Widely used in core, metro, and long-haul networks, as well as data centers and submarine cable systems.
Dispersion
Dispersion in fiber refers to a physical phenomenon of signal distortion caused when
various modes carrying signal energy or different frequencies of the signal have different
group velocity and disperse or scatters or distracts from each other during propagation.

Two major types of Dispersion-

1. Chromatic Dispersion
2. Polarization Mode Dispersion

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Dispersion

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Chromatic Dispersion

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Chromatic Dispersion
Chromatic dispersion is measured in ps/nm/km, meaning that for every km of
fiber traveled through, a pulse with a 1 nm spread of
wavelengths will disperse by 1 ps for a
dispersion of 1 ps/nm/km.

With a 1 ps/nm/km chromatic dispersion,

a 10-Gbit/s pulse with a 0.2nm spectral
width will have spread by a whole bit
period (100 ps) after 500 km of fiber.

G.652 widely used, need dispersion

compensation for high rate transmission

The dispersion coefficient of G.652 at

1550 nm is 17 ps/nm.km
And for G.655 it is 1 to 6 ps/nm.km

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Dispersion Compensation Fiber

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Polarization Mode Dispersion

In optical fibers, slight differences in the propagation

characteristics of light waves in different polarization
states arise due to two main factors:

1.Core Shape and Manufacturing Imperfections

2.Anisotropic Stress

These factors result in varying propagation velocities

and group delays for different polarization modes,
which collectively lead to Polarization Mode
Dispersion (PMD).

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Optical Power

We describe the values of gain and attenuation as optical

power

0dBm = 1 mW
10dBm = 10 mW
20dBm = 100 mW

P (dBm) = P(mW) 10log

1(mW)

So to convert mW to dBm suppose, for 100mW

P (dBm) = 10 log (100 )= 2x 10 = 20 dBm

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OSNR
OSNR is Optical Signal to Noise Ratio.
It is used to quantify degree of optical noise
interference on optical signals. It is the ratio
of signal power to noise power within valid
bandwidth.

The OSNR values that matter the most are

at the receiver, because a low OSNR
value means that the receiver will
probably not detect or recover the signal.

There exists a direct relationship between

OSNR and bit error rate (BER), where BER
is the ultimate value to measure the signal
quality of long distance fiber transmission.

At receiving end minimum OSNR value

required
to recover or detect a signal.

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OSNR
OTU D OTU
M M
M
4
4
U OA OA OA OA OA OA
U
0
0
X OTS 1 OTS 2 OTS 3 OTS 4 OTS 5
OTU X OTU

Power
(dBm) Psignal

Pnoise (ASE)

L (km)

OSNR
(dB)

L (km)

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Optical Splitting

Common type of optical splitting -

Example OLP- Optical Line Protection
Used in DWDM to protect lambda signal.

OLP is port level protection.

OLP board performs concurrent sending
And selective receiving of signals.

Concurrent Sending --- splitter

Selective Receiving– optical switching

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Forward Error Correction (FEC)

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Forward Error Correction (FEC)

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Forward Error Correction (FEC)

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Architecture
Components
Components
Components
Components
Components
Components
Components
Working Principle of EDFA:

Energy Levels in Er Ions:

•E1: Basic state energy level.
•E2: Metastable state energy level.
•E3: High energy level.

Excitation Process:
•High-energy pump lasers excite electrons from E1 to E3.
•Electrons drop from E3 to E2 via non-radiative decay (releasing
heat)

Signal Amplification:
•1550nm signal passes through erbium-doped fiber.
•Particles in E2 transition to E1 via stimulated emission.
•Identical photons to the incident signal are generated.
Components
Technology of EDFA:

Erbium-Doped Fiber:
A silica fiber infused with erbium ions

Pump Laser:
Two typical pumping wavelengths: 980 nm and 1480 nm

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) Coupler:

Combines the pump laser light and the optical signal

Optical Isolators:
Prevents backward reflections.

Gain Flattening Filters:

Maintains uniform gain across multiple wavelengths in DWDM
systems.

Noise Figure:
EDFA introduces low noise levels.
Components
Advantages:

High gain and low noise figure.

Ability to amplify multiple wavelengths simultaneously.
Cost-efficient and reliable for high-capacity networks.

Applications:

Extends transmission distance in long-haul fiber-optic networks.

Amplifies signals in metro and access networks for high-capacity DWDM systems.
Boosts optical signals in pre-amplifier, inline, or booster configurations.
Components
Working Principle of RAMAN Amplifier:

Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS):

Pump laser photons transfer energy to the signal photons through nonlinear interaction in the fiber, boosting the signal strength.

Energy Transfer:
Energy excites vibrations in the silica fiber's molecules, transferring energy from the pump to the signal.

Distributed Amplification:
Raman gain occurs throughout the transmission fiber, allowing amplification to happen along the fiber length rather than at
discrete points.

Backward and Forward Pumping:

Backward Pumping
Forward Pumping
Components
Technology of RAMAN Amplifier:

Pump Laser:
Common pump wavelengths include 1420-1500 nm for C-band amplification.

Fiber as the Gain Medium:

Works within the transmission fiber itself, enabling distributed amplification.

Gain Characteristics:
Can amplify a broader wavelength range compared to EDFAs.

Low Noise Figure:

Offers lower noise compared to EDFAs.

Wavelength Flexibility:
Unlike EDFAs, Raman amplifiers can operate across a wider wavelength range, including the S-band, C-band, and L-band.

Hybrid Systems:
Raman amplifiers are often combined with EDFAs in hybrid scenarios.
Components
Advantages:

Broad wavelength amplification.

Reduced signal degradation due to distributed amplification.
Can be used with existing transmission fibers, minimizing infrastructure changes.

Applications:

Used in long-haul and ultra-long-haul fiber-optic networks.

Amplification in DWDM systems across multiple wavelength bands.
High-capacity and high-speed optical communication systems.
Components
Components
Components
Dispersion Compensation Modules (DCMs)

Dispersion Compensation Modules (DCMs) are devices used to counteract

the effects of chromatic dispersion in optical fibers.

Purpose:

Mitigate pulse broadening caused by dispersion.

Maintain signal integrity in long-haul optical networks.

Working Principle:

Compensating Negative Dispersion

Wavelength-Specific Operation
Components
Types of Dispersion Compensation Technologies:

Dispersion-Compensating Fiber (DCF):

A special type of fiber with high negative dispersion. Installed as a spool at intermediate points or at the
transmitter/receiver ends.

Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG):

Use a periodic structure within a fiber to reflect specific wavelengths and correct dispersion.

Chirped Fiber Bragg Gratings (CFBG):

An advanced FBG that can compensate for a broader range of wavelengths.
Commonly used for DWDM systems.

Electronic Dispersion Compensation (EDC):

A digital signal processing technique to correct dispersion in the electrical domain.
Components
Applications:

Used in long-haul and ultra-long-haul networks to counteract dispersion in single-mode fibers.

Essential for Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) and high-speed systems (e.g., 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 100
Gbps).
Deployed in submarine cables and other critical infrastructures for long-distance communication.

Advantages:

Restores signal quality, enabling higher data rates.

Extends the reach of optical systems without signal degradation.
Compatible with existing transmission fibers, reducing the need for expensive network upgrades.

Challenges:

Adds cost and complexity to the network.

Requires careful deployment to match the dispersion characteristics of the fiber.
Components

Optical Supervisory Channel (OSC)

The Optical Supervisory Channel (OSC) is a dedicated

communication channel within a Dense Wavelength
Division Multiplexing (DWDM) system.

Key Features:

Dedicated Wavelength
Low Bandwidth
Bi-Directional Communication
Independent of Main Traffic
Components

Optical Supervisory Channel (OSC)

Functions:

Performance Monitoring
Fault Management
Remote Configuration
Inventory Management
Alarms and Notifications
Components
Optical Supervisory Channel (OSC)

Components of OSC:

OSC Transceiver
Optical Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
Optical Fiber

Advantages:

Non-Disruptive Management
Cost-Effective
Enhanced Reliability
Remote Accessibility
Questions !!!

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