Lab Manual [Advanced Communication] RC2016-17 BE ETC Sem VIII GEC.

ETC [2021]

Expt. No: 5 Date:

BER Performance of a Digital Optical Fiber Communication Link

AIM: To study the Bit Error Rate (BER) performance of a typical Digital Optical Fiber
Communication Link.

COMPONENTS REQUIRED:
Sr. No Component
1. Optisystem Software
2. Desktop PC/Laptop

PROJECT LAYOUT:

Figure 5.1: Connection diagram

Dept. of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Goa College of Engineering.

Lab Manual [Advanced Communication] RC2016-17 BE ETC Sem VIII GEC.ETC [2021]

THEORY:

For fixed length fiber, the BER performance of the typical digital communications system shown in
Fig. 5.1 depends on three main parameters: 1. Laser Power; 2. Photodiode Responsivity; and 3)
Etinction ratio of the Mach-Zehnder Modulator. In general, the BER decreases as the input Laser
power increases. Photodiode Responsivity is a measure of optical-to-electrical conversion efficiency
of the photodetection process, and as such BER decreases as Responsivity increases. Similarly,
the extinction ratio of the Mach-Zehnder modulator is the ratio between the optical power at
maximum and minimum transmission (corresponding to voltage levels for ‘1’ and ‘0’). Thus, with
larger signal separation levels, extinction ratio increases and BER accordingly decreases.

PROCEDURE:

1. Install Optisystem Trial Version on your computer.

2. Open new file, drag and drop required system modules from the default library folder.

3. Interconnect the modules as per the Layout in Fig. 5.1

4. Run the simulation and note relevant metrics.

Dept. of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Goa College of Engineering.

 Lab Manual [Advanced Communication] RC2016-17 BE ETC Sem VIII GEC.ETC [2021]

OBSERVATIONS:

PARAMETER SWEEP SETTINGS:

Case 1:
MZ Modulator Extinction Ratio = 30 dB
PIN Photodiode Responsivity = 1 A/W
CW Laser Power: Uniform variation from -10 dBm to +10 dBm with 10 sweep iterations.

Case 2:
CW Laser Power: 10 dBm
MZ Modulator Extinction Ratio = 30 dB
PIN Photodiode Responsivity: Uniform variation from 0.1 A/W to 10 A/W with 10 sweep iterations.

Case 3:
CW Laser Power: 10 dBm
PIN Photodiode Responsivity = 1 A/W
MZ Modulator Extinction Ratio: Uniform variation from 0 dB to 40 with 10 sweep iterations.

PLOTS:

1. Minimum BER v/s CW Laser Power.

Dept. of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Goa College of Engineering.

 Lab Manual [Advanced Communication] RC2016-17 BE ETC Sem VIII GEC.ETC [2021]

2. Minimum BER v/s PIN Photodiode Responsivity.

3. Minimum BER v/s MZ Modulator Extinction Ratio.

CONCLUSION:
Based on the observed results, it is evident that the BER performance improves with increase in Laser
Power, Photodiode Responsivity, and Modulator Extinction ratio.
Dept. of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Goa College of Engineering.
Lab Manual [Advanced Communication] RC2016-17 BE ETC Sem VIII GEC.ETC [2021]

Dept. of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Goa College of Engineering.