Unit. 6.WDM Concepts and Components

OFC & Systems
Unit 6.WDM CONCEPTS AND COMPONENTS
By
Deepika K C
Assistant Professor
ECE,MCE.
Syllabus
1.WDM concepts,
2.Overview of WDM operation principles,
3.WDM standards,
4.Mach-Zehender Interferometer
5.Multiplexer,
6.Isolators and circulators,
7.Direct thin film filters,
8.Active optical components
1.WDM concepts
Evolution of the Technology

WDM concepts(contd…)
Features of WDM
Important advantages or features of WDM are as mentioned below –
1. Capacity upgrade : Since each wavelength supports independent data rate
in Gbps.
2. Transparency : WDM can carry fast asynchronous, slow synchronous,
synchronous analog and digital data.
3. Wavelength routing : Link capacity and flexibility can be increased by using
multiple wavelength.
4. Wavelength switching : WDM can add or drop multiplexers, cross connects
and
wavelength converters
Wavelength Division Multiplexing
Each wavelength is like a separate channel (fiber)

• 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 2 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
2.Overview of WDM operation principles
•Optical signals of different wavelength (1300-1600 nm) can propagate without interfering
with each other.
•The scheme of combining a number of wavelengths over a single fiber is called wavelength
division multiplexing (WDM).
•Each input is generated by a separate optical source with a unique wavelength.
•An optical multiplexer couples light from individual sources to the transmitting fiber.
•At the receiving station, an optical demultiplexer is required to separate the different
carriers before photodetection of individual signals. Fig. 7.1.1 shows simple SDM scheme.
•To prevent spurious signals to enter into receiving channel, the demultiplexer must have
narrow spectral operation with sharp wavelength cut-offs.
Principles of WDM
• 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  c 
    2   
• These operations requirevariety of passive
Ex. 10.1
and
 
active devices
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
3.ITU-T Standard Transmission DWDM
windows
 c 
   2  
 
4.Mach-Zehnder Interferometer
Phase shift of the propagating wave increases with L,

Constructive or destructive interference depending on L
Mach-Zehnder Interferometer(contd…)
•Initially a 3 dB directional coupler is used to split input

signals.
•The middle stage, in which one of waveguide is longer by ΔL
to given a wavelength dependent phase shift between the two
arms.
•The third stage is a dB coupler which recombines the signals
at output.
•Thus input beam is splitted an phase shift it introduced in one
of the paths, the recombined signals will be in phase at one
output and out of phase at other output.
•The output will be available in only one port
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 
Four-Channel Wavelength Multiplexer
• By appropriately selecting ΔL, wavelength multiplexing/de-multiplexing can be

achieved
MZI- Demux Example

6.Isolator
•An isolator is a passive non-reciprocal device.
•It allows transmission in one direction through it and blocks
all transmission in other direction.
•Isolator are used in systems before optical amplifiers and
lasers mainly to prevent reflections from entering these
devices otherwise performance will degrade.
• Important parameters of an isolator are its insertion loss (in
forward direction) and isolation (in reverse direction).
•The insertion loss should be as small as possible while
isolation should be as large as possible.
•The typical insertion loss is around 1 dB and isolation is
around 40 to 50 dB.
Principle of operation
Isolator works on the principle of state of polarization (SOP) of

light in a single mode fibers.
The state of polarization (SOP) refers to the orientation of its
electric field vector on a plane that is orthogonal to its direction
of propagation. The electric field can be expressed as linear
combination of two orthogonal linear polarization supported by
fiber.
These two polarization modes are horizontal and vertical
modes.
The principle of operation is illustrated in Fig. 7.4.1.
Principle of operation(contd…)
Let input light signal has vertical state of polarization (SOP) and blocks energy in
horizontal SOP.
The polarizer is followed by Faraday rotator.
Faraday rotator is an asymmetric device which rotates the SOP clockwise by 45 o in
both direction of propagation.
The polarizer after Faraday rotator passes only SOPs with 45o orientation.
In this way light signal from left to right is passed through the device without any loss.
Light entering the device from right due to reflection, with same 45o SOP orientation,
is rotated another 45o by the Faraday and blocked by the next polarizer.
7.Circulator
A three part circulator is shown in Fig. 7.5.1. Signals of different wavelengths are
entered at a port and sends them out at next port.
All the wavelengths are passed to port-2.
If port-2 absorbs any specific wavelength then remaining wavelengths are
reflected and sends them to next port-3.

Circulator(contd…)
Circulators are used to implement demultiplexer using ∂ fiber Bragg grating for
extracting a desired wavelength.
The wavelength satisfying the Bragg condition of grating gets reflected and
exits at next port.
Fig. 7.5.2 illustrates the concept of demultiplexer function using a fiber grating
and an optical circulator.
Here, from all the wavelengths only λ3 is to be extracted.
The circulator takes four wavelengths λ1, λ2, λ3 and λ4 from input port-1
tunable filter operates on similar principle as passive devices. It operates over a
range of frequencies and can be tuned at only one optical frequency to pass
through it.
Fig. 7.6.1 illustrates

concept of tunable filter.
The system parameters for tunable optical filters are –

1) Tuning rage (Δv)
2) Channel spacing (δv)
3) Maximum number of channels(N)
4) Tuning speed.
8.Dielectric Thin-Film Filter (TFF)
Dielectric Thin-Film Filter (TFF)(contd…)
References
TEXT BOOKS:
1. Optical Fiber Communication – Gerd Keiser, 4th Ed., MGH, 2008.
2. Optical Fiber Communications– – John M. Senior, Pearson Education.

3rd Impression, 2007.

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OFC & Systems

Unit 6.WDM CONCEPTS AND COMPONENTS

Evolution of the Technology

Each wavelength is like a separate channel (fiber)

• First WDM networks used just 2 wavelengths, 1310

Phase shift of the propagating wave increases with L,

•Initially a 3 dB directional coupler is used to split input

Phase shift at the output due to the propagation

Four-Channel Wavelength Multiplexer

• By appropriately selecting ΔL, wavelength multiplexing/de-multiplexing can be

MZI- Demux Example

Isolator works on the principle of state of polarization (SOP) of

Fig. 7.6.1 illustrates

The system parameters for tunable optical filters are –

1. Optical Fiber Communication – Gerd Keiser, 4th Ed., MGH, 2008.

2. Optical Fiber Communications– – John M. Senior, Pearson Education.

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