Wavelength Division

Multiplexing (WDM)
Multiplexing
ITU-T Standard Transmission DWDM windows

 c 
   2  
 
 Why WDM
• Optical Fiber is the medium which can support effectively a
bandwidth of 30 terahertz.
• One transmitter and one receiver, can use a bandwidth of only
100 gigahertz; that means we are off by factor of thousands in
terms of utility of the optical fiber.
• The optical fiber medium usage for one channel transmission,
then the system is highly underutilized and that is what
essentially the origin of the WDM system.
• In wavelength division multiplexed system, sharing of the
bandwidth occur by both the channels which can carry
independent information on two wavelengths lies in 2nd and 3rd
optical window.
WDM Systems
 WDM Systems
• The optic fiber is capable of supporting a huge amount of
information and the limitation primarily is coming from the
electronics.
• the bandwidth can access easily in the wavelength domain
than time domain
• As the laser technology has advanced, one can get now a very
high quality laser at multiple wavelengths.
• Each wavelength can be modulated with different data rates
and simultaneously multiple wavelengths can be transmitted
on the same optical fiber.
 Wavelength Division Multiplexing

Each wavelength is like a separate channel

(fiber)
Overview of Wavelength Division
Multiplexing
Overview of Wavelength Division
Multiplexing
Coarse Wavelength Division
Multiplexing (CWDM)
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing
(DWDM)
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing
(DWDM)
DWDM Advantages
CWDM Migration to DWDM
 Generating Multiple Wavelength
for WDM Networks
• Discrete Distributed Feedback(DFB) lasers
– Straight forward stable sources, but
expensive
• Wavelength tunable DFB lasers
• Multi-wavelength laser array
– Integrated on the same substrate
– Multiple quantum wells for better optical
and carrier confinement
 Issues in WDM Networks
• Nonlinear inelastic scattering processes due to
interactions between light and molecular or
acoustic vibrations in the fibre
– Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS)
– Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS)
• Nonlinear variations in the refractive index
due to varying light intensity
– Cross Phase Modulation (XPM): Cross-phase
modulation is a nonlinear effect where the optical intensity of
one beam influences the phase change of another beam.
– Four Wave Mixing (FWM)
 Summary
• DWDM plays an important role in high capacity optical
networks
• Theoretically enormous capacity is possible
• Practically wavelength selective (optical signal
processing) components and nonlinear effects limit the
performance
• Optical amplifications is imperative to realize DWDM
networks