Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering 2014 Vol WCE 2014, Tuly 2-4, 2014, London, UK. Future Trends in Fiber Optics Communication Francis Idachaba, Dike U. Ike,and Orovwode Hope Abstract-Fiber optic systems aze important telecommuaication infrastructure for worldwide broadband aetworks. Wide handwidth signal transmission with low dehy is a key requirement ia present day applications. Optical fers provide euormoas and unsurpassed transmission bandwidth with cegliible Ietency, and are now the Uansmission medium of choice for loug distance and high data rate transmission ia felecommanication networks. This paper gives an overview of fiber optic communication systems incudag their key tachnolegies, and also discusses their technological trend towards thenext generation, Index Terms- Bandwidth, Broadband, Fiber optics, Laten ‘Telecommunication. 1 INTRODUCTION The major diving force behind the widespread use of fer optics communication is the high aad rapidly increasing consumer and commercial demard = for more ‘tolecommunication capacity and internat services, wih fiber optic technology capable of providing the required mformaion cayacty (larger than both wueless commections and copper cable). Advances in technology have eaabled more data to be coaveyed through 2 single optical flber over long disaaces. The transmission capacty im ojtical communication etworks are significantly improved using wavelength cavision mutiplexing (1), ‘A desrable feature for frure optical nz works 1s the abtlry 19 process information entirely in the optical domain for the Fupese of amplifcation, mubiplexing, de-mutiplexing, switching, Aeriug, and comelation, since optical signal ‘Frocessing is more efficien than electrical signal processing. Francs Iacabe 2 @ ser lesurer a the Deparment of Eecmcal aud Information Fagneerag, Covmant Uiveriy, Nig (eam: fasidecdagcovnamaresty at. Dike U. the ise postgnduee dunt in the Deputamat of Electcal acd Information Engnesing, Covent Univer, Nigeria (e-m- cexgusseilogyaheo con). Covwode Hope is Lechrer inthe Department of Flastcal and Tnfarmiticn Engoreiag, Covet Unveriy, = Neda (eal: crorwode hope@oovenanhniersiy. og ISBN: 978-988-19252. ISSN. 2078-0958 (Prinb) ISSN: 2078-0956 (Online) Several new classes of optical communication néworks are presently emerging [2]. For example, Code Division Mubiple Access networks using optical signal processing techniques have recetly bemg mtroduced [3] Despite the associated honefts of utilizing opticel fiber for communication (such 2s Zs hich reliabilty over loag distances, low dtemudion, low interference, high securiy, ‘very high information capécty, longer life span and ease of maintenance), research is ¢ill ongoing to futher improve on ‘the presext fiber optics communication system, and also to solve some of the challenges facing #. Future optical ‘communication systems are envisioned to be more robust than the present system. This paper is organized as follows. Section U1 describes the basic principles of fiber optics communicétion. ‘Section Il looks a the history and evolution of fiber optics communication while section IV presents some envisioned {figure trends m2 fiber optics communication. in section V, we draw the conclusion forthe paper. U, BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FIBER OPTIC COMMUNICATION ber optic communication is @ communication technology that uses light pulses to transfer information from one point to auother through an optical ber. The information transmitted is essentially digtal information gonersted by telephone systems, cable television companies, and compater systems. ‘AM optical Ober 1s a ielectitc cylindrical waveguide made from low-loss materials, usually silicon dioxide. The core of the waveguide has a refractive indox a litle higher than that of ‘the oxter medium (cladding), so that light palses 3s guided aloug the axis ofthe Aber by total tterual reflection [4]. Fiber optic communication systems consid of an opticaltransmitier ‘to conve an clecrical signal to an optical signal for ‘transmission through the offical fiber, a cable containing several bundles of optical fibers, optical amplifiers to boos. the power of the optical sigual, and an optical recelver to reconvet the received optical signal beck to the original ‘transmitted clecrical signal. Figure 1 gives a simplified description ofa hasic fiber optic communication system, WCE 2014Proceedings of the Worid Congress on Engineering 2014 Vol, WCE 2014, July 2 - 4, 2014, London, UK. uu 101010 oft cuseae Fig Buscar ote commission stom] Optical fers fal into two major categories, aamely: step index optical flber, which include single made oytical fiber ané mukimode optical fiber, and graded mdex optical fber. Single mode step index optical Aber has a core diameter less than 10 micrometers aad only allows one light peth. ‘Multimode step index optical ber has a core diameter greater ‘than or equalto 50 micrometers and allows several light paths, this leads to modal dispersion. Graded dex optical bers ave their core reftecive miex gradually decresse father ‘fromthe centre ofthe core, this increased reffaction atthe core centre slows the speed of some light rays, thereby allowing all the light rays to reach the receiver at almos the same time, thereby reducing dispersion. Figure 2 gives a description of the various optical ber modes. ede ‘pat = Fig2 Optical Fiber Modes [6] ISBN: 978-988-19252. ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online) TIL EVOLUTION OF FIBER OPTICS ‘COMMUNICATION Offical fiber was firs developed mm 1970 by Coming Gless Works. at the seme tume, GaAs semiconductor lasers were also developed for transmitting light through the fber optic cables. The fs generation fiber optic system was developed in 1075, it used GaAs somiconductor lasers, operated at a Wavelength of 0.8 um, and ht rze of ©Megabts/second wth 10Kum repeater spacing. mn the early 1960's, the second generation of Aber optic communicalon was developed, £ usel IGaasP semi conducor lasers end operated at a wavelength of 1.3 pm. BY 1087, these fiber optic systems wore oparding & bit rates of upto 1.7 Gigabitsjsecond on single mode fiber with 50Km wepezer spacing. The third generation of fiber optic commmnication operating at @ wavelength of 1.99 pm was developed m 1990, These syems were operdiag at a bi ste of up to 25 Gigabitssecond on « single longitudinal mode Aber wih 100Km repester spacing, ‘The fouth generation of Aber optic systems mede use of optical amplifiers as a replacement for rapedters, and wilized wavelength division mubiplexing (WDM) to increase dita 1aies, BY 1996, trausmussion of over 11,300Km # a daarae of SGiyablssecond had been demonstrated usiug submarine cables [7]. The ih generation ber oplic communication systems use the Dense Wave Division Mubiplexing (DWDM) to futher increase data rates, Also tae concept of optical solitors, which ave pulses thit can preserve thetr shape by courteractmg the negative effects of dispersion, is also being explored. Figure 3 shows the evolution of ber otic communication. ff ao PERG is & WCE 2014Proceedings ofthe World Congress on Engineering 2014 Vol WCE 2014, july 2- 4, 2014, London, UK FUTURE TRENDS IN FIBER OPTICS ‘COMMUNICATION Fiber optics communication is defintely the fature of dite communication. The evolution of fiber optic communication has been driven by advancement m technology and increased demand for fiber opt communication. 1 1s expeded to comtimue into the fitare, with the development of new and more advanced communication technology. Below are some ofthe envisioned faturetrends in fiber optic communication. A. all Optical Communication Naworks ‘Aa all ber optic communication is envisioned which will be completely m the optical domain, giving nse to an all oftical communication network. In such networks, all siguals will be ‘processed inthe optical domain, without any form of electrical manipuldion. Presently, processing and switching of signals ‘take place inthe electrical domain, optical signals nus fist be converted to electrical signal before they can be prozessed and routed to thelr desination. Afler the processing and rosting, the signals are then re-couverted to optical signals, ‘which aro transmitted over loag distances to their destingiion. ‘This optical to electrical conversion, and vice versa, resus in added Izency on the network and thus 1s a imation to achieving very high data r Another benefit of ll otical networks 1s that there wil not be any need to replace the electronics wien data rate increases, since all signal processing and routing occurs in the optical domain [6]. However, before this can become 2 realty, difficulties in optical ronting, and wavelength switching hasto de solved. Research 1s curetrly ongomg to find an effective solution tothese dificubies, B. Mul~Terablt Optical Naworks Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) paves the way for mubiierabi transmission. The world-wide ueed for increased bandwidth availabilty has led to the interes in developing maltiterabit optical networks. Presently, four terabit networks using 40Gb/s daa rate combined wth 100 DWDM channels exists. Researchers are looking @ achieving oven higher bandwidth w1h 100Gb/s. With the comtmuous reduction inthe cos of fiber optic components, the availabilty ofmuch grecer bandwidth mthe future is possible. ©. Iatelligent Optical Transmission Network Preseuly, tradfional optical uetworks are net able to adapt to the rapid growth of online data sewices due to the ampredicabilty of dynamic allocation of bandwith, ‘radfional optical natworks rely maisly on mannal confignrtion of mawork comectivay, which 1s tme ISBN: 978-988-19252-7-5 ISSN: 2073-0958 Print), ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online) consamiag, and unable to fully adapt to the demends of the modera network. Intelligent optical network is 2 futara trend m optical network developmen [2], and will have the following applications: traffic engineering, dynamic resource rode allocation, special coutrol protocols for nawork manigemext, scilable sigualing capabilities, bandwith ox demand, wavelength rental, wavelength wholesale, differentiated services for a variety of Quality of Service levels, and so on, 1 will take some time before the mrelligent optical network can be applied to all levels ofthe nawork, ‘will fist be applied in long-baul networks, and gradually be applied to the network edge [10]. D. _Ubra- Long Haul Optical Transmission Im the ara of ukralong haul optical transmission, the limitations mposed due to imperfections tn the transmission medium are subject for research, Cancellation of dispersion effect has prompted researchersto study the potential beuefts of selon propagation. More understanding ofthe interactions between the electromagnetic light wave and the transmission medium is necessary to procesd towards an infastmcture with the most favorable condaions for a light pulse to propagate [a1] E, Improvements in Laser Technclogy Another future tend wil be the exteusion of present semiconductor lasers to a wider variety of lasing wavelengths [12]. shorter wavelength lasers with very high cutpet powers are of interest am some Ligh density optical applications, Presently, laser sources which are specrally shaped through chip managing to compausze for chromatic dispersion are available. Chirp managing means thai the laser is coutrolled such hat # undergoes a sudden change in ts wavelength when firing a pulse, such that the chromatic dispersion experienced bby the palse is redaced. There need to develop instraments to be used to characerze such lasers. Also, single mode tunable lasers aze of gie& importance for fulure coherent optical systems. These tunable lasers lase in a single Tougtudinal mode that can be tuned to « range of differant frequencies. F. Laser Neural Network Nodes The laser neural network is an effective option ‘or the realization of optical xetwork nodes. A dedicated hardware configuration working 1m the optical domam and the use of ulre-fast photonic sections 1s expected to futher improve the capacity and speed of telecommunication networks [12]. As optical ntworks become more complex inthe futur, tho ase of optical laser neural nodes came an effective soltion. WCE2014