Simulation and Analysis of Wavelength Division Multiplexing using

OptiSystem
Jiten Thapa, Safal Shrestha
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Kathmandu University

Abstract: One of the main advantages of Optical Fiber is the speed that it provides for data communication.
The high bandwidth that it provides can be utilized by the use of Wavelength Division Multiplexing in
which data can be sent having different wavelengths via the same optical link simultaneously. This research
consists of a simulation of Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) using a popular software
OptiSystem. Different wavelengths are sent via the multiplexer through 8 different external modulated
laser. Mach Zehnder modulator is used as the modulator for the laser.
I. INTRODUCTION
The development of Optical Fiber Communication System is rapid in recent years and involve a very high
degree of complexity. Various software are used for the simulation, analysis and design of optical fiber and
optical fiber communication system. This research includes the use of OptiSystem to design the WDM
using WDM.
OptiSystem is an innovative, rapidly evolving, and powerful software design tool that enables users to plan,
test, and simulate almost every type of optical link in the transmission layer of a broad spectrum of optical
networks from LAN, SAN, MAN to ultra-long-haul. It offers transmission layer optical communication
system design and planning from component to system level, and visually presents analysis and scenarios.
[1]
II. BACKGROUND THEORY
One of the advantages of Optical Fibers is the transmission of different wavelength along a single fiber
simultaneously in the 1300 to 1600 nm spectral band. This process combines a number of wavelengths by
a multiplexer and sends the data simultaneously via a fiber which is then de-multiplexed and separated into
the respective wavelengths in the receiver. [2] The key features of WDM are capacity upgrade,
transparency, wavelength routing and wavelength switching. It also increases bandwidth by allowing
different data streams to be sent simultaneously over a single optical fiber network. [3]

Figure 1: Implementation of WDM in Optical Fiber Communication System

At the transmitter, the system consists of independently modulated light sources, each emitting signals at a
unique wavelength. A multiplexer combines all the optical outputs into a serial spectrum of closely spaced
wavelength signals and couple them onto a single fiber. At the receiver, it consists of a de-multiplexer
which separates the wavelengths and sends the signal to the receiver.
The system consist of 8 different external modulated signal which consist of a Pseudo random bit sequence
generator block, NRZ Pulse Generator, Mach Zehnder Modulator and CW Laser. The bit generator uses a
bit rate of 10+e09 bits/sec and uses an order of 10. The 8 lasers use the frequency of 193.1, 193.3, 193.5,
193.7, 193.9, 194.1, 194.3, 194.5 THz and a power of 10dBm for all the lasers.
A Mach- Zehnder modulator is used to control the amplitude of an optical wave. The input waveguide is
split up into two waveguide interferometer arms. If voltage is applied across one of the arms, a phase shift
is induced. When the two arms are recombined, the phase difference between the two waves is converted
to an amplitude modulation. [4]
A CW laser is a laser that emits a continuous laser beam with a controlled heat output, as beam duration
and intensity. The NRZ Generator pulse generator creates a sequence of non-return to zero pulses coded
by an input digital signal.

Figure 2: Block Diagram showing single External Modulated Laser

 III. SIMULATION
The simulation has been done using a software Optisystem. It is a graphical user interface software where
block diagrams are made using the blocks available in the software. The simulation consists of a laser,
multiplexer and demultiplexer and measurement devices.
Figure 3 shows the block diagram of single external modulated laser and figure 4 consists of total block
diagram of the interface.

Figure 3: Simulation of Single External Modulated Laser

Figure 4 shows the total simulation diagram of the Multiplexing and De-multiplexing. In the left, it consists
the external modulated laser system. Since 8x1 MUX has been used, 8 different lasers with 8 different
wavelengths have been used. All of them are connected to the Optical Spectrum Analyzer whose results
have been shown in figure 5. They are also connected to the 8x1 MUX which is then connected to WDM
Analyzer whose result have been shown in Table 1. The output from the MUX have been to an optical fiber
link to the 1x8 DEMUX which are connected to the Optical Spectrum Analyzer that have been shown in
Figure 4.
Figure 4: Total Simulation Diagram in OptiSystem
 IV. RESULTS

(a) (b) (c) (d)

(e) (f) (g) (h)

Figure 5: Power vs. Wavelength diagram for (a) 193.1 THz (b) 193.3 THz (c) 193.5 THz (d) 193.7 THz
(e) 193.9 THz (f) 194.1 THz (g) 194.3 THz (h) 193.5 THz
Figure 5 shows different power vs. wavelength diagram taken from Optical Spectrum Analyzer at
OptiSystem which shows the central wavelength at which the laser is emitted from the external modulated
laser. These wavelengths are further multiplexed to get result as in figure 6.
Figure 6 combines all the wavelengths into one and sends it to the optical fiber link. In this way the
bandwidth of the optical fiber can be increased and more data can be sent simultaneously. The simulation
also consists of 8x1 Multiplexer and 1x8 De-multiplexer. Between the MUX and the DEMUX, it consists
of an optical fiber link with no losses.
 Figure 6: Multiplexed Waveform

Table 1: Table showing the output data from WDM Analyzer

Frequency Wavelength (nm) Signal Power Noise Power SNR (dB)
(THz) (dBm) (dBm)
193.1 1552.5244 6.6110054 -52.61281 59.223816
193.3 1550.918 6.1248498 -52.213493 58.338342
193.5 1549.315 6.2828733 -52.443956 58.726829
193.7 1547.7153 6.266262 -49.520961 55.787223
193.9 1546.1189 6.3632595 -50.192325 56.555584
194.1 1544.5258 6.4797476 -52.212948 58.692696
194.3 1542.936 6.2876282 -52.575256 58.862884
 (a) (b) (c) (d)

(e) (f) (g) (h)

Figure 7: Demultiplexed signal for (a) 193.1 THz (b) 193.3 THz (c) 193.5 THz (d) 193.7 THz (e) 193.9
THz (f) 194.1 THz (g) 194.3 THz (h) 193.5 THz
Figure 7 shows the output from the 1x8 DEMUX which shows the power vs. wavelength diagram. Unlike
Figure 6 which shows all the wavelengths in one diagram after being multiplexed, this figure shows the
separated wavelengths after de-multiplexing. In this way, by multiplexing different wavelengths they can
be transmitted via a same optical link.

V. CONCLUSION
In this report the simulation of a wavelength division multiplexing and de-multiplexing has been shown
and analysis on the result has been done. Different wavelengths are sent via external modulated lasers which
are multiplexed with a multiplexer and sent via optical fiber link. In the receiver a demultiplexer separates
all the wavelengths and it has been simulated using OptiSystem.

References

[1] Optiwave, "OptiSystem 14.2 New Features," 08 01 2017. [Online]. Available:

https://d2h8zl6i8pywws.cloudfront.net/products/release-
notes/OptiSystem/OptiSystem_14_2_New_Features.pdf. [Accessed 03 02 2018].

[2] G. Keiser, Optical Fiber Communications, New Delhi: McGraw-Hill, 2000.

[3] smartoptics, "The basics of Wavelength Division Multiplexing, WDM," smartoptics, 2017. [Online].
Available: https://www.smartoptics.com/this-is-wdm/the-basics-of-wavelength-division-
multiplexing-wdm/. [Accessed 03 02 2018].

[4] Cosmol, "Mach-Zehnder Modulator," COSMOL. [Online]. Available:

https://www.comsol.com/model/mach-zehnder-modulator-15061. [Accessed 03 02 2018].