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7 Optical Communication Systems
7 Optical Communication Systems
7 Optical Communication Systems
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Photonics and Optical Communication, Spring 2005, Dr. D. Knipp
Optical Communication Systems
7.5 Multiplexing Strategies
It is even possible to transmit channels that operate at different transmission
speeds or different modulation schemes.
Systems typically use a range of wavelengths from 1540 nm to 1560 nm. We
already discussed the advantages of this wavelength range (long wave range)
several times. Optical fibers exhibit their overall minimum of attenuation at
1550nm and optical amplifiers operate only at this wavelength. Transmission
speeds for such (D)WDM systems of several Tbps have been demonstrated.
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Photonics and Optical Communication, Spring 2005, Dr. D. Knipp
Optical Communication Systems
7.6 Coding Techniques
In order to transmit data through an optical channel the optical signal has to be
varied in a systematic fashion (coded) to represent the signal. In general
different coding scheme can be used to transmit optical signals like ASK, PSK,
or FSK.
Frequency shift keying (FSK) is a technique that modulates the frequency of
the light beam. However, it is difficult to directly modulate the frequency of a
laser. An external modulator (electro acoustic Bragg modulator) can be used,
but so far this method is not yet in general use.
The phase of a laser beam cant be directly modulated, which would be
required in the case of Phase Shift Keying (PSK) and therefore this coding
technique is not used in optical communications.
What is left is Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK), which is the most applied
coding technique in optical communications. Amplitude shift keying (ASK) is a
technique which uses a bit stream to modulate the intensity of the light beam
directly. Maximum intensity is usually considered to be 1 and minimum or
zero intensity is considered to be 0.
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Photonics and Optical Communication, Spring 2005, Dr. D. Knipp
Optical Communication Systems
7.6 Coding Techniques
On-off Keying (OOK) can be considered as a special case of amplitude shift keying
(ASK) in which a number of discrete signal amplitude levels are used to carry a
digital signal. In the following we will discuss different On-Off Keying schemes.
7.6.1 NRZ Coding
The simplest coding scheme is NRZ coding (no return to zero coding) where a 1 is
represented by the presence of light (maximum light) and a 0 is represented by the
absence of light (no light or minimum level of light). Even thought the coding scheme
is very simple it is only used for slow speed optical links. The major disadvantage of
NRZ Coding is the recreation of the signal levels. There is no timing information
present in the received signal. The receiver has to define where a sample start.
Therefore re-clocking is difficult.
No return to zero (NRZ) coding.
Ref.: H. J.R. Dutton, Understanding
optical communications
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Photonics and Optical Communication, Spring 2005, Dr. D. Knipp
Optical Communication Systems
7.6.2 Non-Return to Zero Inverted (NRZI) Coding
Instead of using a NRZ Coding scheme a Non-Return to Zero Inverted (NRZI)
scheme is often used. Most digital communication systems are applying the
NRZI scheme. An 0 is coded if a transition from light to no light or from no
light to light is observed. When there are two successive pulses of light or two
successive periods of minimum (zero) intensity a 1 is detected. Therefore, a
0 is represented as a change of a state whereas a 1 is detected as the
absence of a change.
No return to zero inverted
(NRZI) coding.
Ref.: H. J.R. Dutton,
Understanding optical
communications
19
Photonics and Optical Communication, Spring 2005, Dr. D. Knipp
Optical Communication Systems
7.6.3 RZ Coding
In Return to Zero (RZ) coding the signal returns to the 0 throughout every bit.
An 1 is detected if the optical intensity is maximized during half of the bit time.
During the subsequent second half of the bit time the optical intensity has to be
minimized. In electrical communication system this coding scheme is not an
option because the required bandwidth is increased. In optical communication
the overall performance of the system is not limited by the bandwidth of the
optical fiber itself. Therefore such coding schemes can be used.
RZ coding is or was used as a standard coding scheme for Optical Time
Division Multiplexing (OTDM) communication systems.
Return to zero (RZ)
coding.
Ref.: H. J.R. Dutton,
Understanding optical
communications
20
Photonics and Optical Communication, Spring 2005, Dr. D. Knipp
Optical Communication Systems
References:
John M. Senior, Optical Fiber Communications, Prentice Hall Series in
Optoelectonics, 2
nd
edition, 1992.
Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich, Fundamentals of Photonics,
Wiley-Interscience (1991)
Harry J. R. Dutton, Understanding Optical Communications,
Prentice Hall Series in Networking, 1998. (Formerly freely available as a red
book on the IBM red book server.
Joseph C. Palais, Fiber Optic Communications,
Prentice Hall Series, 1998. 4
th
edition.