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1) Reflected
2) Transmitted
3) Absorbed
Properties of Light
transmitted light.
reflects.
Properties of Light
Transparent (clear) materials--
Those materials that transmit almost all the light waves falling upon
them are said to be transparent materials.
you can clearly see other objects through materials such as glass and
clear plastic that allow nearly all the light that strikes them to pass
through.
Properties of Light
Translucent (see through) materials--
The materials through which some light rays can pass but the objects can not
seen clearly because the rays are diffused, are known as translucent materials.
Although objects behind these materials are visible, they are not clear.
Those materials that are unable to transmit light waves falling upon
them are said Opaque materials.
The amount of incident energy that is reflected from a surface depend on:
The nature of the surface
The angle at which the wave strikes the surface
Refraction—
Properties of Light
When a light wave passes from one medium to another medium having
different velocity of propagation, a change in the direction of the wave will
occur.
This change of direction as the wave enters the second medium is called
refraction.
Since the surface of paper is not smooth, the reflected light is broken up
into many light beams that are reflected in all directions.
Absorption—
Properties of Light
A light wave is reflected and diffused from a piece of white paper.
But if the light beam falls upon a piece of black paper, the black paper
absorbs most of the light and very small amount of light is reflected
from the paper.
If the surface upon which the light beam falls is perfectly black, then
there is no reflection; the light is totally absorbed.
Ray Theory Transmission
Ray Optics: basic laws
Light rays in homogeneous media are straight lines
ni sin θi = nt sin θt
Ray Theory Transmission
Ray Theory Transmission
Refractive index
The index of refraction of a material is the ratio of the speed
of light in a vaccum to the speed of light in the material
n = c/v
The factor n is the index of refraction (or refractive index) of
the medium.
For air and gases n ~ 1. At optic frequencies, the refractive
index of water is 1.33.
Glass has many compositions, each with a slightly different
n. An approximate refractive index of 1.5 is representative
for the silica glasses used in fibers; more precise values for
these glasses lie between ~1.45 and ~1.48.
Ray Theory Transmission
Refractive Index for Some Materials
Air -----------------------------------------------------------------------1.0
Water -------------------------------------------------------------------1.33
Magnesium fluoride -------------------------------------------------1.38
Fused silica (SiO2)----------------------------------------------------1.46
Sapphire (Al2O3)------------------------------------------------------1.8
Lithium niobate (LiNbO3)-------------------------------------------2.25
Indium phosphide (InP)----------------------------------------------3.21
Gallium arsenide (GaAs) ---------------------------------------------3.35
Silicon (Si)---------------------------------------------------------------3.48
Indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP)-----------------3.51
Aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs)-----------------------------3.6
Germanium (Ge) -------------------------------------------------------4.0
The index varies with a number of parameters, such as wavelength and
temperature.
Ray Theory Transmission
Critical Angle (qc)
The angle at which total internal reflection occurs is called the critical angle of
incidence.
At any angle of incidence (q1) greater than the critical angle, light is totally
reflected back to the glass medium.
For n1 > n2, the angle of refraction q2 is always greater than the angle of
incidence q1.
When the angle of refraction q2 is 90o the refracted ray emerges parallel to the
interface between the media.
The critical angle is determined
by using Snell’s Law. The critical
angle is given by :
Ray Theory Transmission
Total internal reflection
At angles of incidence q1 > qc the light is totally reflected back into the
incidence higher refractive index medium. This is known as total
internal reflection.
Ray Theory Transmission
Acceptance Angle
The acceptance angle of an optical fiber is defined as the maximum angle of a
ray (against the fiber axis) hitting the fiber core which allows the incident light to
be guided by the core.
The sine of that acceptable angle is called the numerical aperture, and it is
essentially determined by the refractive index contrast between core and cladding
of the fiber, assuming that the incident beam comes from air or vacuum.
Ray Theory Transmission
Numerical Aperture
The numerical aperture is a measurement of the ability of an optical fiber to
capture light. The NA is also used to define the acceptance cone of an optical
fiber. Mathematically it is defined as:
No dispersion
Higher dispersion
: is divergence operation
: is curl operation
The solution of Maxwell’s equations in free space, through the wave
equation, can be easily obtained for monochromatic electromagnetic
wave. All electric & magnetic fields are harmonic functions of time of the
same frequency. Electric & magnetic fields are perpendicular to each other
& both perpendicular to the direction of propagation, k, known as
transverse wave (TEM). E, H & k form a set of orthogonal vectors.
Electromagnetic Plane wave in Free space
Ex
Direction of propagation k
x
z z
y
By
The dispersion cause that optical pulses to broaden as they travel along a fiber, the
overlap between neighboring pulses, creating errors in the receiver output,
resulting in the limitation of information-carrying capacity of a fiber.
Dispersion and Bit Rate
Intramodal or Chromatic dispersion (CD) is caused by the fact that single mode glass fibers
transmit light of different wavelengths at different speeds. The ratio of the speed of light in a
medium to the speed in a vacuum defines the index of refraction or refractive index of the
material.
Material Dispersion
This is due to intrinsic properties of the material, glass.
Glass is a dispersive medium. We can recall from our high school physics that glass has
different refractive index for different colors.
Different colors (wavelengths) have different velocity in glass.
A type of dispersion that occurs in optical fiber due to the interaction of various wavelengths
with the physical matter in the crystalline structure of the glass.
The refractive index of the glass varies according to the wavelength of the optical signal.
Material dispersion is the phenomena whereby materials cause a “bundle” of light to spread
out as it propagates.
Dispersion Effect in Optical Fiber
Intramodal or Chromatic Dispersion
Waveguide Dispersion
This is due dispersive nature of the bound medium. In a bound medium like the
optical fiber, the velocity is a function of frequency.
Waveguide dispersion is chromatic dispersion which arises from waveguide
effects: the dispersive phase shifts for a wave in a waveguide differ from those
which the wave would experience in a homogeneous medium. Waveguide
dispersion is important in waveguides with small effective mode areas. But for
fibers with large mode areas, waveguide dispersion is normally negligible, and
material dispersion is dominant.
Dispersion Effect in Optical Fiber
Polarization mode dispersion:
The polarization mode dispersion is due unequal velocities of two
orthogonal states of polarization.
The PMD puts the ultimate restriction on the data rate on the long haul
single mode optical fiber.
The pulse slowly broadens due to the statistical fluctuation of the velocities
of the two orthogonal polarizations.
Optical Fiber Losses
Attenuation in Optical Fibers
Attenuation limits the optical power which can reach the receiver, limiting the
operating span of a system.
Once the power of an optical pulse is reduced to a point where the receiver is unable
to detect the pulse, an error occurs.
Attenuation is mainly a result of:
Light Absorption
Scattering of light
Bending losses
Attenuation is defined as the ratio of optical input power (Pi) to the optical output
power (Po).
The following equation defines signal attenuation as a unit of length :
Attenuation
Optical Fiber Losses
Types of Attenuation
Absorption Loss:
Caused by the fiber itself or by impurities in the fiber, such
as water and metals.
Scattering Loss:
Intrinsic loss mechanism caused by the interaction of
photons with the glass itself.
Bending loss:
Loss induced by physical stress on the fiber.
Optical Fiber Losses
Material Absorption Losses
Material absorption is caused by absorption of photons within the fiber.
– When a material is illuminated, photons can make the valence electrons
of an atom transition to higher energy levels
– Photon is destroyed, and the radiant energy is transformed into electric
potential energy. This energy can then
• Be re-emitted (scattering)
• Frees the electron (photoelectric effects) (not in fibers)
• Dissipated to the rest of the material (transformed into heat)
In an optical fiber Material Absorption is the optical power that is effectively
converted to heat dissipation within the fiber.
• Two types of absorption exist:
– Intrinsic Absorption, caused by interaction with one or more of the
components of the glass.
– Extrinsic Absorption, caused by impurities within the glass.
Optical Fiber Losses
Material Absorption Losses
Intrinsic Absorption is caused by basic fiber material properties. If an
optical fiber is absolutely pure, with no imperfections or impurities, ten all
absorption will be intrinsic. Intrinsic absorption in the ultraviolet region is
caused by electronic absorption bands. Intrinsic Absorption occurs when a
light particle (photon) interacts with an electron and excites it to a higher
energy level.
The power dependence of the refractive index is responsible for the Kerr-effect.
Depending upon the type of input signal, the Kerr-nonlinearity has three different
effects such as Self-Phase Modulation (SPM), Cross-Phase Modulation (CPM) and
Four-Wave Mixing (FWM).
P
n n n2
The nonlinearity in refractive A
index is known as Kerr nonlinearity. eff
Where:
This nonlinearity produces a n = Ordinary refractive index of material
n2 = Nonlinear index coefficient
carrier induced phase modulation of P = Optical Power
Aeff = Effective mode area
the propagating signal, which is
The numerical value of n2=2.6 X10-20 m2/W
called Kerr Effect.
Nonlinear Optical Effects due to Kerr Effect
Self Phase Modulation (SPM) : If an intensity modulated signal propagates
in the fibre, the intensity modulation induces an index modulation of the fibre
and in return a phase modulation to the signal.
The signal modulates itself
The SPM induced phase modulation broadens the signal spectrum.
Self-phase modulation (SPM) is a fiber nonlinearity caused by the
nonlinear index of refraction of glass. The index of refraction varies with
optical power level causing a frequency chirp which interacts with the fiber’s
dispersion to broaden the pulse.
(55)
SELF-PHASE MODULATION
The non-linear phase follows exactly the power shape of the
optical pulses. The frequency chirp is then proportional to the
derivative of the optical power. If pulses propagate under the
non-linear regime :
the optical frequency will decrease on the pulse leading edge.
the optical frequency will increase on the pulse trailing edge.
Channel spacing
Channel power
3. Rod-in-Tube method
ferrule.
In the straight sleeve connector or tapered sleeve
connector the length of the sleeve and a guide ring on
the ferrules determine the end separation of the fibers.
In the tapered sleeve connector, the ferrules and
sleeves are tapered. Tapered Sleeve Mechanism
Fiber Optic Connectors
Expanded Beam Connector
The expanded beam connector employing collimating lens at the end of the
transmitting fiber and focusing lens at the entrance end of the receiving fiber.
The collimating lens converts the light from the fiber into a parallel beam of light
and the focusing lens converts the parallel beam of light into a focused beam of
light on to the core of the receiving fiber.
The fiber-to-lens distance is equal to the focal length of the lens.
The lenses are antireflection coated spherical micro lenses.
Fiber Optic Splices
Intrinsic Loss
Problems the splicer cannot fix
Extrinsic Loss
Problems the person doing the