Department of Electronics and Communication

Subject: OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION (TEC 701)

Branch: 4TH YEAR
ASSIGNMENT 2
Theory Questions(PART A)
1. Explain intermodal dispersion.
2. What are dispersion-flattened fibers?
3. What is the cause of material dispersion and waveguide Dispersion?
4. What are fiber bending losses?
5. What do you mean by attenuation of an optical fiber? What are its units?
What are different causes of attenuation in an optical fiber?

Numerical Problems (PART B)

1. A 15 km optical fiber link uses fiber with a loss of 1.5 dB km-I. The fiber
is jointed every kilometer with connectors which given an attenuation of 0.8
dB each. Determine the minimum mean optical power which must be
launched into the fiber in order to maintain a mean optical power level of 3
µW at the detector.
2. (a) A multimode step index fiber gives a total pulse broadening of 95 ns
over a 5 km length. Estimate the bandwidth-length product for the fiber
when a non return to zero digital code is used.
(b) A single mode step index fiber has a bandwidth-length product of 10
GHz km. Estimate the rms pulse broadening over a 40 km digital optical link
without repeaters consisting of the fiber and using a return to zero code.
3. The material dispersion parameter for a glass fiber is 20 ps nm-I km-1 at a
wavelength of 1.5µm. Estimate the pulse broadening due to material
dispersion within the fiber when light is launched from an injection laser
source with a peak wavelength of 1.5 µm and an rms spectral width of 2 nm
into a 30 km length of the fiber.
4. A multimode step index fiber has a numerical aperture of 0.2 and a core
refractive index of 1.47. Estimate the bandwidth-length product for the fiber
assuming only intermodal dispersion and a return to zero code when:
(a) there is no mode coupling between the guided modes;
(b) mode coupling between the guided modes give a characteristic length
equivalent to 0.6 of the actual fiber length.
5. A multimode, optimum near parabolic profile graded index fiber has a
material dispersion parameter of 30 ps nm-I km-1 when used with a good
LED source of rms spectral width 25 nm. The fiber has numerical aperture

OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION 1

ASSIGNMENT 2
of 0.4 and a core axis refractive index of 1.48. Estimate the total rms pulse
broadening per kilometer within the fiber assuming waveguide dispersion to
be negligible. Hence estimate the bandwidth-length product for the fiber.
6. The difference in the effective refractive indices (nx - ny ) for the two
orthogonally polarized modes in conventional single mode fibers are in the
range 9.3 x 10-2 < nx - ny <1.1 x 10-5 . Determine the corresponding range
for the beat lengths of the fibers when they are operating at a transmission
wavelength of 1.3µm. Hence obtain the range of the modal birefringent for
the fibers. The maximum bit rate that can be achieved over a 6 km length of
highly birefringent single mode fiber is 400 kbits- 1 • Assuming polarization
mode dispersion to be the dominant dispersive mechanism, calculate its
value within the fiber.
7. The photo elastic coefficient and the refractive index for silica arc 0.286
and 1.46 respectively. Silica has an isothermal compressibility of 7 x 10-11 m
N-1 and an estimated fictive temperature of 1400 K. Determine the
theoretical attenuation in decibels per kilometer due to the fundamental
Rayleigh scattering in silica at optical wavelengths of 0.85 and 1.55 µm.
Boltzmann's constant is 1.381 x 10-23 J K- 1
8. The threshold optical powers for stimulated Brillouin and Raman
scattering in a long 8 µm core diameter single mode fiber are found to be
190 mW and 1.70 W, respectively, when using an injection laser source with
a bandwidth of 1 GHz. Calculate the operating wavelength of the laser and
the attenuation in decibel per kilometer of the fiber at this wavelength.

OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION 2

ASSIGNMENT 2
 Department of Electronics and Communication

Subject: OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION (TEC 701)

Branch: 4TH YEAR
ASSIGNMENT 2
Theory Questions(PART A)
1. Explain intermodal dispersion.
2. What are dispersion-flattened fibers?
3. What is the cause of material dispersion and waveguide Dispersion?
4. What are fiber bending losses?
5. What do you mean by attenuation of an optical fiber? What are its units?
What are different causes of attenuation in an optical fiber?

Numerical Problems (PART B)

1. A 15 km optical fiber link uses fiber with a loss of 1.5 dB km-I. The fiber
is jointed every kilometer with connectors which given an attenuation of 0.8
dB each. Determine the minimum mean optical power which must be
launched into the fiber in order to maintain a mean optical power level of 3
µW at the detector.
2. (a) A multimode step index fiber gives a total pulse broadening of 95 ns
over a 5 km length. Estimate the bandwidth-length product for the fiber
when a non return to zero digital code is used.
(b) A single mode step index fiber has a bandwidth-length product of 10
GHz km. Estimate the rms pulse broadening over a 40 km digital optical link
without repeaters consisting of the fiber and using a return to zero code.
3. The material dispersion parameter for a glass fiber is 20 ps nm-I km-1 at a
wavelength of 1.5µm. Estimate the pulse broadening due to material
dispersion within the fiber when light is launched from an injection laser
source with a peak wavelength of 1.5 µm and an rms spectral width of 2 nm
into a 30 km length of the fiber.
4. A multimode step index fiber has a numerical aperture of 0.2 and a core
refractive index of 1.47. Estimate the bandwidth-length product for the fiber
assuming only intermodal dispersion and a return to zero code when:
(a) there is no mode coupling between the guided modes;
(b) mode coupling between the guided modes give a characteristic length
equivalent to 0.6 of the actual fiber length.
5. A multimode, optimum near parabolic profile graded index fiber has a
material dispersion parameter of 30 ps nm-I km-1 when used with a good
LED source of rms spectral width 25 nm. The fiber has numerical aperture

OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION 1

ASSIGNMENT 2
of 0.4 and a core axis refractive index of 1.48. Estimate the total rms pulse
broadening per kilometer within the fiber assuming waveguide dispersion to
be negligible. Hence estimate the bandwidth-length product for the fiber.
6. The difference in the effective refractive indices (nx - ny ) for the two
orthogonally polarized modes in conventional single mode fibers are in the
range 9.3 x 10-2 < nx - ny <1.1 x 10-5 . Determine the corresponding range
for the beat lengths of the fibers when they are operating at a transmission
wavelength of 1.3µm. Hence obtain the range of the modal birefringent for
the fibers. The maximum bit rate that can be achieved over a 6 km length of
highly birefringent single mode fiber is 400 kbits- 1 • Assuming polarization
mode dispersion to be the dominant dispersive mechanism, calculate its
value within the fiber.
7. The photo elastic coefficient and the refractive index for silica arc 0.286
and 1.46 respectively. Silica has an isothermal compressibility of 7 x 10-11 m
N-1 and an estimated fictive temperature of 1400 K. Determine the
theoretical attenuation in decibels per kilometer due to the fundamental
Rayleigh scattering in silica at optical wavelengths of 0.85 and 1.55 µm.
Boltzmann's constant is 1.381 x 10-23 J K- 1
8. The threshold optical powers for stimulated Brillouin and Raman
scattering in a long 8 µm core diameter single mode fiber are found to be
190 mW and 1.70 W, respectively, when using an injection laser source with
a bandwidth of 1 GHz. Calculate the operating wavelength of the laser and
the attenuation in decibel per kilometer of the fiber at this wavelength.

OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION 2

ASSIGNMENT 2
 Department of Electronics and Communication

Subject: OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION (TEC 701)

Branch: 4TH YEAR

ASSIGNMENT 3
Theory Questions(PART 1)
1. What do you mean by internal quantum efficiency and
external quantum efficiency of a Semiconductor injection
diode?
2. What do you mean by population inversion?
3. Mention threshold condition for Laser oscillations.
4. Explain the terms:
a) Spontaneous emission c) Hetrojucntion
b) Stimulated emission d) Absorption
5. Explain the working of semiconductor injection laser.
What are its advantages and disadvantages?
6. Briefly describe the characteristics of Semiconductor
injection Laser.
7. How single mode operation is achieved in of
Semiconductor injection Laser.
8.Write short notes on:
a) Gain guided lasers
b) Index guided lasers
c) Quantum well lasers
9. Briefly outline the general requirements for a source in
optical fiber communications.

Numerical Problems(PART 2)
ASSIGNMENT 3 1
OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION
1. The longitudinal modes of a gallium arsenide injection
laser emitting at a wavelength of 0.87 μm are separated in
frequency by 278 GHz. Determine the length of the optical
cavity and the number of longitudinal modes emitted. The
refractive index of gallium arsenide is 3.6.

2.When GaSb is used in the fabrication of an

electroluminescent source, estimate the necessary hole
concentration in the p type region in order that the radiative
minority carrier lifetime is 1 ns.

3.A DH injection laser has an optical cavity of length 50

μm and width 15 μm . At normal operating temperature the
loss coefficient is 10 cm-1 and the current threshold is 50
mA. When the mirror reflectivity at each end of the optical
cavity is 0.3, estimate the gain factor β for the device. It
may be assumed that the current is confined to the optical
cavity.

4. A gallium arsenide injection laser with a cavity of length

500 μm has a loss coefficient of 20 cm-l The measured
differential external quantum efficiency of the device is
45%. Calculate the internal quantum efficiency of the laser.
The refractive index of gallium arsenide is 3.6.

ASSIGNMENT 3 2
OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION
 Department of Electronics and Communication

Subject: OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION (TEC 701)

Branch: 4TH YEAR

ASSIGNMENT 4
Theory Questions(PART 1)

1. Define LED internal quantum efficiency and external quantum

efficiency.

2.Outline the common LED structures for optical fiber

communication discussing their relative merits and drawbacks.

3. Give drawback and advantages of LED and LASERS.

4. Write short notes on:

a)SLED
b) ELED
c)SLD

5. Briefly describe all the characteristics of LED’s.

6. What is meant by the direct modulation of an optical source?

Give reasons for the current use of direct intensity modulation of
semiconductor optical sources and comment on possible
alternatives.

Numerical Problems(PART 2)
ASSIGNMENT 4 1
OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION
1. The external power efficiency of an InGaAsP/lnP planar LED is
0.75% when the internally generated optical power is 30 mW.
Determine the transmission factor for the InP-air interface if the
drive current is 37 rnA and the potential difference across the
device is 1.6 V. The refractive index of InP may be taken as 3.46.

2. A GaAs planar LED emitting at a wavelength of 0.85 μm has an

internal quantum efficiency of 60% when passing a forward
current of 20 rnA S-1. Estimate the optical power emitted by the
device in into air, and hence determine the external power
efficiency if the potential difference across the device is 1 V. It
may be assumed that the transmission factor at the GaAs-air
interface is 0.68 and that the refractive index of GaAs is 3.6.
Comment on any approximations made.

ASSIGNMENT 4 2
OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION
 Department of Electronics and Communication

Subject: OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION (TEC 701)

Branch: 4TH YEAR
ASSIGNMENT 6
Theory Questions (PART A)

1. Briefly discuss the possible sources of noise in optical fiber receivers.

Describe in detail what is meant by quantum noise. Consider this
phenomenon with regard to:
(a) Digital signalling;
(b) Analog transmission.
giving any relevant mathematical formulae.
2. Explain receiver structures.

Numerical Problems (PART B)

1. A silicon photodiode has a responsivity of 0.5 A W-1 at a wavelength of
0.85µm. Determine the minimum incident optical power required. at the
photodiode at this wavelength in order to maintain a bit error rate of 10-7 ,
when utilizing ideal binary signalling at a rate of35 Mbits S-1.
2. An analog optical fiber communication system requires an SNR of 40 dB
at the detector with a post detection bandwidth of 30 MHz. Calculate the
minimum optical power required at the detector if it is operating at a
wavelength of 0.9 !lm with a quantum efficiency of 70%. State any
assumptions made.
3. A germanium photodiode incorporated into an optical fiber receiver
working at a wavelength of 1.55 µm has a dark current of 500 nA at the
operating temperature. When the incident optical power at this wavelength is
lOW and the responsivity of the device is 0.6 A W-1, shot noise dominates in
the receiver. Determine the SNR in dB at the receiver when the post
detection bandwidth is 100 MHz.

ASSIGNMENT 6 1
OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATIONS
Department of Electronics and Communication

Subject: OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION (TEC 701)

Branch: 4TH YEAR
ASSIGNMENT 1
Theory Questions (PART A)
1. Draw and explain block diagram of optical communication
system.
2. What are the advantages of optical fiber communication?
3. What is the structure of an optical fiber?
4. Explain following terms:
a. Critical angle d. Graded index fiber
b. Numerical aperture e. Multimode fiber
c. Step index fiber f. Acceptance angle
5. What do you mean by normalized frequency V of the fiber? On
the basis of this, differentiate between single and multimode fibers.
6. Explain what is meant by graded index optical fiber giving an
expression for the possible refractive index profile. Indicate major
advantage of this type of fiber with regard to multimode
propagation.

Numerical Problems (PART B)

1. A step index fiber has a solid acceptance angle in air of 0.115
radians and a relative refractive index difference of 0.9%. Estimate
the speed of light in the fiber core.

2. The velocity of light in the core of a step index fiber is 2.01 x

108 m S-1, and tile critical angle at the core-cladding interface is
80° • Determine the numerical aperture and the acceptance angle
for the fiber in air, assuming it has a core diameter suitable for
consideration by ray analysis. The velocity of light in a vacuum
is2.998 x 102 m S-1,
3. A single mode step index fiber has a core diameter of 4 µm and
a core refractive index of 1.49. Estimate the shortest wavelength of

ASSIGNMENT 1
OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATIONS
light which allows single mode operation when the relative
refractive index difference of the fiber is 2%.

4. A graded index fiber with a core axis refractive index of 1.5 has
a characteristic index profile of 1.90, a relative refractive index
difference of 1.3% and a core diameter of 40 µm. Estimate the
number of guided modes propagating in the fiber when the
transmitted light has a wavelength of 1.55 µm. and determine the
cutoff value of the normalized frequency for single mode
transmission in the fiber.

5. What are skew rays? Skew rays are accepted into a large core
diameter (compared to the wavelength of the transmitted light) step
index fiber in air at a maximum axial angle of 42°. Within the fiber
they change direction by 90° at each reflection. Determine the
acceptance angle for meridional rays for the fiber in air.

6.An optical fiber has numerical aperture of 0.20 and a cladding

refractive index of 1.59.Determine:
1.the acceptance angle for the fiber in water which has a refractive
index of 1.33;
2.the critical angle at the core-cladding interface.

7.A step index fiber in air has a numerical aperture of 0.16, a core
refractive index of 1.45 and a core diameter of 60µm.Determine
the normalized frequency for the fiber when light a wavelength of
0.9 µm is transmitted. Further, estimate the number of guided
modes propagating in the fiber.

8.A single mode step index fiber which is designed for operation at
a wavelength of 1.3µm has core and cladding refractive indices of
1.447 and 1.442respectively.If the core diameter is 7.2µm, check
that the fiber will permit single mode transmission.

ASSIGNMENT 1
OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATIONS
 Department of Electronics and Communication

Subject: OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION (TEC 701)

Branch: 4TH YEAR
ASSIGNMENT 6
Theory Questions (PART A)
1. Discuss and draw optical transmitter Circuit. Explain how the signal modulated
and launched in the optical fiber.
2. Draw and explain block diagram and detection principle of coherent optical
fiber system.
3. Discuss and draw optical Receiver Circuit. Briefly describe equalizer.
4. What are various modulation techniques used in optical communication
System?
5. Write short notes:
a) Power budgeting d) LED drive circuits
b) Sub carrier intensity Modulation e) LASER drive circuits
c) Sub carrier phase Modulation f) Regenerative receiver
6. What is meant by intensity modulation of an optical source?
7. Write note on Line coding.
8. What is the use of preamplifier in optical receiver system?
Numerical Problems (PART B)
1. An optical fiber system uses fiber cable which exhibits a losses dBkm-
I.Average splice losses for the system are 1.5 dB km- ', and connector losses at
the source and detector are 4 dB each. After safety margin been allowed. the total
permitted chann~l loss is 37 dB. Assuming the Ii::: :(\
be attenuation limited, determine the maximum possible tran:mi. -'\.':1
distance without a repeater.
2. A digital single mode optical fiber 5) stem is designed for operatior. ..: J
\\ a\ elength or i.5 ~lln and a transmission rate of 560 Mbits-' over a dis:_:~.:
of 50 km \\'ithout repeaters. The single mode injection laser is capat<c \.'T
launching :: ::-.~:~ optical power of -.:3 dBm into the fiber cable \\ f· ."::i
exhibits a loss of 0.35 dB km-I. In addition splice losses are 0.1 dB km" . T:-:-:
connector los:, ...: the receiver is 0.5 cB and the receiver sensiti\"it;. ." -:\.1
dbm. Finall) an e\:tinction ratio penalt;. of I dB is predicted for the .::) .::~e:;·.
Perform an ortleal power budget for :ne s\'stem and determine the J:'",:
margm.
ASSIG~\IL "T ~