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Chapter 2 provides an overview of optical fibers, including their structure, types, and key parameters such as attenuation and dispersion. It classifies fibers based on modes (monomode and multimode) and materials (glass and plastic), and introduces essential concepts like numerical aperture and group velocity. The chapter sets the foundation for further discussions on fiber optics in subsequent chapters.

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6 views21 pages

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Chapter 2 provides an overview of optical fibers, including their structure, types, and key parameters such as attenuation and dispersion. It classifies fibers based on modes (monomode and multimode) and materials (glass and plastic), and introduces essential concepts like numerical aperture and group velocity. The chapter sets the foundation for further discussions on fiber optics in subsequent chapters.

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davidperez4125081
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CHAPTER 2

Fibre optic I: introduction

SM Olaizola
2004
Outline

 Objective:
 Overview of optical fibres
 be able to understand fibre datasheets.

 What is fibre optic?


 Parameters
 Types of optical fibre
 Problems
Optical networks

 The basic elements of an optical


transmission link are:
Light source Fibre
Regenerator Receiver
+
Drive circuit Amplifier

Conectors

More advanced links may include other


components such as splitters, optical
multiplexers, filters,… They will be the
subject of this course.
What is a fibre optic?

 Device to guide light in order to establish a


communication between two points
arbitrarily distant. Fibre
Buffer Material
Polyethylene tube
Core Capsule
Cladding

Scheme of a fibre optic


Parts of the fibre optic

 The guiding structure is formed by the core


and cladding. Light is guided by total internal
reflection (TIR).

CLADDING n2
d2 d1 CORE
n1

3µ m<d 1<200 µm
140 µm<d2<400µm
Classification of fibres: mode
According to the number of Monomode n
modes fibres can be:
 Monomode: thin core
between 3 to 12 microns
Multimode Step index
 Multimode: thicker cores n
 Step index fibre
 GRIN fibre (GRaded
INdex) Multimode GRIN n
Classification of fibres: GRIN

 The profile of the


GRIN fibre is α=∞
α=4
normally α=2
α=3
expressed as α=1

1
 α
r  2

n(r ) = n1 1 − 2∆   for r < a


 a 
n(r ) = n2 for r > a
n12 − n22 n1 − n2
∆= 2
≈
2n1 n1
Attenuation

 Attenuation is the 1 dP
α =−
fractional decrease P dx
in the optical power
1  Pin 
per unit of distance α = ln 
L  Pout 
Intensity Intensity

n2

n1
t t
Attenuation

 The attenuation is often expressed in dB/km.


In this case

1  Pin 
α DB = 10 log  = 4.34α
L  Pout 
Dispersion

 Dispersion is the temporal spreading of a light


signal in an optical waveguide caused by light
signals travelling at different speeds through a
fibre either due to modal or chromatic effects.

Intensity Intensity

n2
σi
n1 σo
t t
Dispersion

 The dispersion in within a single mode


(intramodal dispersion) can be
expressed as
1 dTG
D (λ ) =
L dλ
 Where TG is the group delay of the fibre
(ΤG=1/Vg)
Classification of fibres: material
 Silicate glasses, mainly silica (SiO2) doped with GeO2
and/or P2O5.
 High infrared transparency.
 Good mechanical properties.
 Cheap.
 Plastic (polysthyrene, PMMA)
 Tough, durable.
 Affordable solution for short lengths.
 Good solution for visible light.
 Halide Glasses (ZBLAN)
 Made from a mixture of fluorides (Zr/Ba/La/Al/Na-Fx)
 Very low losses at 2.55mm.
 Difficult to fabricate.
Classification of fibres: material
 Glass fibre:
 SiO2 fibre optics are used for optical
communications.
 SiO2 is mixed with other materials to produce a
material with different refractive index. Examples
are:
Core Cladding
GeO2-SiO2 SiO2
P2O5-SiO2 SiO2
SiO2 B2O3-SiO2
GeO2-B2O3-SiO2 B2O3-SiO2

From Keiser’s Optical fibre Communications


Classification of fibres: material
Properties of plastic fibres:
1 2 3 4
Core:
Material PMMA PS PS Silica
Refractive (perspex) 1.59 1.59 1.46
index 1.49
Cladding:
Material Fluorocarbon PMMA Silicone Resin Silicone Resin
Refractive polymer (perspex) 1.40 1.40
index 1.39 1.49

Numerical 0.54 0.55 0.75 0.41


Aperture
Theoretical 340 340 640 200
Dispersion
(∆T/l=∆n/c) [
ns/km ]
Source: John Minimum Approx. 100 - 150 8
Attenuation
Kelliher’s Notes [ dB/km ]
Classification of fibres

ZBLAN attenuation properties from


http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/msad05feb98_
1.htm
Fibre optics: parameters
 Radius of core and cladding
 Refractive index of core and
cladding
 Attenuation (α)
 Dispersion: related to bandwidth n 2 − n 2 n − n
∆= 1 22 ≈ 1 2
 Normalized index difference 2n1 n1
 Numerical aperture 2
1
NA = (n1 − n2 ) ≈ n1 2∆
2 2

 Normalized frecuency or V- 2πa 2 1 2πa


number V=
λ
(n1 − n2 ) =
2 2

λ
NA

2πa 2
 Cut-off wavelength Vcut −off = 2.405 = (n1 − n22 )12
λc
Dispersion: group velocity

 Phase velocity is
c ω
v ph = =
n k
In a wave packet the group velocity is the
speed at which the envelope of a wave packet
propagates.
dω
VG =
dk
Dispersion: group velocity
 The group index NG is defined so that it determines the group
velocity according to
c
VG =
NG
 NG can be calculated from
dω c
VG = ≈
dk n − λ dn
dλ
 Comparing the two equations

dn
NG = n − λ
dλ
Dispersion: group velocity
 The group velocity SiO2
depends exclusively on
the wavelength
dependence of the
refractive index n. NG

Refractive index
 It can be calculated via
Sellmeier’s equation:
n
3 2
A λ
n2 −1 = ∑ 2 i 2
i =1 λ − λi

Wavelength (µm)
Where λi and Ai are parameters
Dispersion: group velocity
vG
 The picture tries vph

to explain the t

difference
between phase vG
and group v ph
t+∆t
velocity.
 This difference vG

takes place in vph t+2∆t

dispersive media
(n=n(λ)).
Summary
 Fibres can be classified according to the material
and the number of modes (multimode, monomode)
of light they allow and the refractive index profile
(step-index, GRIN,…)
 The most important parameters that describe a fibre
have been presented. (NA, V, Vcut-off, ∆, α,D)
 Dispersion and attenuation concepts have been
introduced. We will discussed them further in chapter
4.
 The concept of group velocity VG has also been
introduced.

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