OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS

This course is a survey on optical communications, and provides information on the propagation medium (the fiber), lasers and detectors, passive components, optical amplification, and telecommunication systems.

Programme:

Optical Fibres: Single-mode and multi-mode fibers, specialty fibers. Geometrical and optical parameters. Modal theory of fibers. Attenuation. Dispersion.
Emitters and Photodetcters: Lasers and LEDs for optical communications. Laser/fiber coupling. Photodiodes for optical communications.
Passive components: Connectors and splices. Coupled-mode theory. Couplers; mirrors and resonators with couplers. Retarders and polarizer. Isolators and circulators. Modulators. Bragg gratings and filters. Arrayed waveguide devices.
Telecommunication systems: Point to point interconnections. Networks. Power budget. Electro-optic repeater. Optical Amplification. Multi-wawelength transmission (WDM).  Homodyne and heterodyne detection detection.

Measurements: Measurements on fibers and on devices for optical communications: power, attenuation, return loss, geometrical parameters, dispersion and frequency response. OTDR, BER tester.