OWC

MODULE 1
1.With the help of neat diagram, explain the main blocks of an optical fiber
communication system
2.Explain with necessary diagram the different type of fiber structure. OR
With suitable structures give comparison of conventional single mode and
multimode step index and graded index optical fibers.
3.What are the advantages, disadvantages and applications of optical fiber
as compared to copper cable.
Advantages of Optical Fiber:
Disadvantages of Optical Fiber:
Applications:

4.Explain the cross-sectional end view of the structure of an index guiding

photonic crystal fiber.
5.Explain the three different mechanism that causes absorption of optical
energy in optical fiber.
Absorption in optical fibers is caused by three primary mechanisms:
1. Absorption by Atomic Defects in Glass Composition:
o Caused by imperfections in the atomic structure of the fiber
material, such as missing molecules, atom clusters, or oxygen
defects.
o These defects typically cause minimal absorption under normal
conditions.
o However, significant absorption can occur when the fiber is
exposed to ionizing radiation (e.g., in nuclear reactors, space
missions, medical radiation therapies).
o The radiation creates "attenuation centers," increasing the fiber's
attenuation.
o Over time, these defects relax, and the attenuation decreases
(annealing effect).
2. Extrinsic Absorption by Impurity Atoms:
o Results from the presence of impurities in the fiber material, such
as water ions (OH-) and transition metal ions (iron, copper,
chromium, vanadium).
o These impurities cause absorption by electron transitions between
energy levels or charge transfers between ions.
o Older fibers had higher impurity levels, causing significant
absorption peaks at specific wavelengths (e.g., 950 nm for OH-,
725 nm for vanadium).
o Modern fibers use advanced manufacturing techniques to reduce
impurity levels, resulting in low-loss fibers with minimal
absorption.
o Water ions, primarily introduced during manufacturing, contribute
to major absorption peaks in the near-infrared range (e.g., 1240 nm
and 1380 nm).

3. Intrinsic Absorption by Basic Constituents:

o Occurs due to the inherent properties of the fiber's basic material
(e.g., SiO2).
o Sets the fundamental transparency limits of the fiber, particularly at
shorter wavelengths.
o Results from electronic absorption bands in the ultraviolet (UV)
region and atomic vibration bands in the near-infrared (NIR)
region.
o UV absorption is a result of photon-electron interactions, where
photons excite electrons to higher energy states.
o The absorption decreases exponentially with increasing
wavelength, primarily affecting the UV and NIR regions.
o Intrinsic absorption determines the fundamental attenuation limits
for any particular material.
6.With a neat diagram explain material absorption losses in silica glass
fibers.
7.Explain Linear losses in optical fibers.
8.Explain macro bending and micro bending losses with a neat diagram.
9.Explain briefly about chromatic dispersion within an optical fiber.
10.Explain Intermodal dispersion for multimode step index fiber.
Intermodal Dispersion in Multimode Step-Index Fiber
Intermodal dispersion, also known as modal delay, is a phenomenon that
occurs in multimode fibers, particularly in step-index fibers. It arises because
different modes of light travel at different speeds, leading to pulse broadening as
the signal propagates through the fiber.
Definition of Modal Delay:
o In multimode step-index fibers, light travels in multiple modes
(paths), and each mode has a different propagation speed due to the
variation in the angle of the light ray.
o The light rays, depending on their angle of incidence, take different
paths through the fiber. The group velocity (the speed at which the
signal propagates) differs for each mode.
Group Velocity Variation:
o The fundamental mode (the straightest path through the core)
travels faster than higher-order modes, which take more circuitous
paths.
o Higher-order modes travel at slower speeds because they reflect
off the fiber walls at steeper angles.
o As a result, the light pulse spreads out over time as different modes
arrive at the detector at different times.
Mechanism of Intermodal Dispersion:
o The steeper the angle of propagation for a mode, the slower its
velocity, causing a greater delay in its arrival at the receiver
compared to the fundamental mode.
o This results in a spread of the signal pulse. The difference
between the travel times of the fastest and slowest modes is known
as modal delay or intermodal dispersion.
Mathematical Representation:
o The pulse broadening due to intermodal dispersion in a fiber is
determined by the time difference between the fastest mode
(fundamental mode) and the slowest mode (highest-order mode).
 o The maximum modal delay for a step-index fiber of length LL is
given by the formula:

where:
 Δn is the difference between the refractive indices of the
core and cladding (i.e., the index difference),
 L is the fiber length,
 c is the speed of light in a vacuum.
o This formula calculates the time difference between the slowest
and fastest modes.
Impact on Data Transmission:
o Pulse broadening (increased delay) due to intermodal dispersion
can lead to signal overlap, making it harder to distinguish between
consecutive pulses in a high-speed transmission system.
o This overlap limits the maximum bit rate (B) and distance (L) over
which data can be transmitted. The bit rate-distance product (BL)
is an important parameter for fiber transmission systems, and
intermodal dispersion limits its value in multimode fibers.
Pulse Broadening Calculation Example:
o Consider a multimode step-index fiber where the refractive index
of the core n1=1.480 and the index difference Δ=0.01. For a 1-km
fiber, the modal delay is calculated as:

This means that the pulse will broaden by 50 ns after traveling a

distance of 1 km.
Bit Rate-Distance Product (BL):
o To ensure that neighboring pulses remain distinguishable, the pulse
spread should not exceed 1/B, where B is the bit rate.
 o The maximum allowable pulse broadening is determined by the
fiber's bit rate-distance product BL. For high data rates, the fiber
length must be limited to prevent excessive pulse broadening.
Effect on Performance:
o As the bit rate increases, the required time for each pulse to travel
(bit period) decreases. With higher pulse broadening, the
transmission distance must be reduced to maintain signal integrity
and avoid errors.
o For example, at a 100 Mb/s rate, a 50 ns/km modal delay would
limit the transmission distance to only about 50 meters in a
multimode step-index fiber.

11.Explain the ray theory of the optical fiber with the help of neat sketch.
12.In a step index fiber if refractive index of core is 1.4 with Numerical
aperture (NA) is 1.3, v=65, operating at 750nm. Calculate core size and
cladding index.
13.A continuous 12km long optical fiber link has a loss of 1.5 dB/km, what
is the minimum optical power level that must be launch into the fiber to
maintain as optical power level of 0.3μw at the receiving end, and what is
the required input power if the fiber has a loss of 2.5 dB/km.
14.A silica fiber with a core diameter large enough to be considered by ray
theory analysis has a core refractive index of 1.5 and a cladding refractive
index of 1.47. Determine
a) The critical angle at the core-cladding interface of the fiber
b) The numerical aperture for the fiber
c) The acceptance angle in air for the fiber.

15.When the mean optical power launched into an 8 Km length of fiber is

120W, the mean optical power at the fiber output is 3W, determine
i) The overall signal attenuation or loss in decibels through the fiber
assuming that there are no connectors and splices
ii) The signal attenuation per kilometer for the fiber
iii) The overall signal attenuation for a 10 Km optical link using the same
fiber with splices at 1 Km intervals each giving an attenuation of 1 dB.
iv) The numerical input/ output power ratio in (iii)