Posted 28

th
May 2014 before 12PM
MEEE/MTEL 5105: Fiber-Optic Communication Systems
Submit answers for all questions below by 8:00pm on 18
th
June, 2014
(use my LECTURE NOTES and TEXTBOOKS mentioned in uploaded course outline TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW)
Submission can be handwritten or typed
Student can submit before deadline mentioned above. In fact it is advisable to do that
Student should retain a photocopy of Assignment before submitting

QUESTIONS:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Fiber Optic Communication? How is an optical
transmission medium better than coaxial or mi crowave transmission? Use graphs/numbers to show the
di fference
2. Compare between glass, PCS and plasti c opti cal fibers in terms of physi cal descriptions as well as
appli cations.
3. Compare Single Mode and Mul timode Fibers in di mension, appli cation, transmission, bandwidth,
attenuation, opti cal sources compatibility, etc.
4. Explain wi th a diagram, the index profile and associated ray paths of di fferent types of fibers discussed in
class.
5. Compare graded index fibers to step index fibers and comment on what is the advantage of using graded
index fibers over step index fibers.
6. What is the difference between meridional rays and skew rays? Use a diagram to illustrate your answer.
7. Define the three types of modes in opti cal fibers and explain the difference between TE, TM, HE, EH, LP
modes. Why are Maxwell s Equations requi red to describe signal propagation in a fiber opti c channel?
8. What are the di fferent causes of Fiber losses (excl ude dispersion)? Discuss them all.
9. Explain the different types of dispersion in Single and Mul ti mode fibers in detail wi th the aid of
diagrams.
10. Draw a labeled Block Diagram (System Overview) highlighting the pri ncipal components of an optical
fi ber communi cation system.
11. What are the three main operation windows for fiber opti c communi cati ons? What advantage do the
second and thi rd windows of operation have? Show this advantage wi th the help of a graph.
12. Define Brewsters angle, Cri tical angle and Numeri cal Aperture. Support your answer wi th Numerical
examples.
13. Explain how V-number is used to cal culate the number of modes to be guided in a fiber. Use specific
values to support your explanati on and draw a graph that shows presence of different modes for
di fferent V numbers.
14. What is the cutoff wavelength for a fiber wi th a 10-mi crometer core diameter, a core index of refraction
of 1.525, and a claddi ng index of refraction of 1.50.? What type of a fiber is this?
15. What i nformation do Fresnel s Equations provi de, that cannot be provided by Snell s law?
Good Luck and please do not copy from each other..!!