Chapter 2

1) Using simple ray theory, describe the mechanism for the transmission of light within an optical
fiber. Briefly discuss with the aid of a suitable diagram what is meant by the acceptance angle for
an optical fiber. Show how this is related to the fiber numerical aperture and the refractive indices
for the fiber core and cladding.
2) The velocity of light in the core of a step index fiber is 2.01 × 108 m s−1, and the critical angle at
the core–cladding interface is 80°. Determine the numerical aperture and the acceptance angle
for the fiber in air, assuming it has a core diameter suitable for consideration by ray analysis. The
velocity of light in a vacuum is 2.998 × 103 ms−1.
3) A step index fiber with a large core diameter compared with the wavelength of the transmitted
light has an acceptance angle in air of 22° and a relative refractive index difference of 3%. Estimate
the numerical aperture and the critical angle at the core–cladding interface for the fiber.
4) A step index fiber in air has a numerical aperture of 0.16, a core refractive index of 1.45 and a core
diameter of 60 μm. Determine the normalized frequency for the fiber when light at a wavelength
of 0.9 μm is transmitted. Further, estimate the number of guided modes propagating in the fiber.
5) Describe with the aid of simple ray diagrams:
(a) the multimode step index fiber;
(b) the single-mode step index fiber
(c) graded index fiber.
Also state their advantages.
6) A multimode step index fiber has a relative refractive index difference of 1% and a core refractive
index of 1.5. The number of modes propagating at a wavelength of 1.3 μm is 1100. Estimate the
diameter of the fiber core.
7) A single-mode step index fiber has a core diameter of 7 μm and a core refractive index of 1.49.
Estimate the shortest wavelength of light which allows single-mode operation when the relative
refractive index difference for the fiber is 1%.
8) A graded index fiber with a core axis refractive index of 1.5 has a characteristic index profile (𝛼)
of 1.90, a relative refractive index difference of 1.3% and a core diameter of 40 𝜇𝑚. Estimate the
number of guided modes propagating in the fiber when the transmitted light has a wavelength of
1.55 𝜇𝑚, and determine the cutoff value of the normalized frequency for single-mode
transmission in the fiber.
9) A single-mode step index fiber has core and cladding refractive indices of 1.498 and 1.495
respectively. Determine the core diameter required for the fiber to permit its operation over the
wavelength range 1.48 to 1.60 μm. Calculate the new fiber core diameter to enable single-mode
transmission at a wavelength of 1.30 μm.

Chapter 3

10) The mean optical power launched into an optical fiber link is 1.5 mW and the fiber has an
attenuation of 0.5 dB km−1. Determine the maximum possible link length without repeaters
(assuming lossless connectors) when the minimum mean optical power level required at the
detector is 2 𝜇𝑊.
11) A 15 km optical fiber link uses fiber with a loss of 1.5 dB km−1. The fiber is jointed every kilometer
with connectors which give an attenuation of 0.8 dB each. Determine the minimum mean optical
power which must be launched into the fiber in order to maintain a mean optical power level of
0.3 μW at the detector.
12) Discuss different types of absorption losses in optical fibers.
13) Explain what is meant by the critical bending radius for an optical fiber.
14) Two step index fibers exhibit the following parameters:
(a) a multimode fiber with a core refractive index of 1.500, a relative refractive index difference
of 3% and an operating wavelength of 0.82 μm;
(b) an 8 μm core diameter single-mode fiber with a core refractive index the same as (a), a relative
refractive index difference of 0.3% and an operating wavelength of 1.55 μm.
Estimate the critical radius of curvature at which large bending losses occur in both cases.
15) Explain dispersion. Name different types of dispersions.
16) A multimode graded index fiber exhibits total pulse broadening of 0.1 𝜇𝑠 over a distance of 15
km. Estimate: (a) the maximum possible bandwidth on the link assuming no intersymbol
interference; (b) the pulse dispersion per unit length; (c) the bandwidth–length product for the
fiber.
17) Find group velocity of bandwidth limited optical pulse. Hence find expression for material
dispersion parameter.
18) Find maximum delay difference for multimode graded index fiber.
𝑑2 𝜂
19) A glass fiber exhibits material dispersion given by |𝜆2 ( 𝑑𝜆21 )| of 0.025. Determine the material
dispersion parameter at a wavelength of 0.85 μm, and estimate the rms pulse broadening per
kilometer for a good LED source with an rms spectral width of 20 nm at this wavelength.
20) A 6 km optical link consists of multimode step index fiber with a core refractive index of 1.5 and a
relative refractive index difference of 1%. Estimate the delay difference between the slowest and
fastest modes at the fiber output.
21) A multimode step index fiber gives a total pulse broadening of 95 ns over a 5 km length. Estimate
the bandwidth–length product for the fiber when a nonreturn to zero digital code is used.
22) A single-mode step index fiber has a bandwidth–length product of 10 GHz km. Estimate the rms
pulse broadening over a 40 km digital optical link without repeaters consisting of the fiber.
23) Briefly explain the reasons for pulse broadening due to material dispersion in optical fibers.

Chapter 4

24) Explain what is meant by fiber drawing.

25) Explain Outside vapor-phase oxidation technique of fiber manufacturing.
26) Explain vapor axial deposition technique of fiber manufacturing.
27) What is fiber buffering. Briefly explain different types of fiber buffering.
28) Draw diagram of a typical fiber cable showing different protective layers.

Chapter 5

29) State the two major categories of fiber–fiber joint, indicating the differences between them.
Briefly discuss the problem of Fresnel reflection at all types of optical fiber joint, and indicate how
it may be avoided.
30) A silica multimode step index fiber has a core refractive index of 1.46. Determine the optical loss
in decibels due to Fresnel reflection at a fiber joint with: (a) a small air gap; (b) an index-matching
epoxy which has a refractive index of 1.40. It may be assumed that the fiber axes and end faces
are perfectly aligned at the joint.
31) Describe the three types of fiber misalignment which may contribute to insertion loss at an optical
fiber joint.
32) What is meant by splicing of optical fibers? Briefly describe fusion splicing mechanism.
33) What are the factors which cause intrinsic losses of fiber–fiber joints.
34) A SMF is connected with a MMF using a connector. The radius of SSM is 4 micron and that of MMF
is 64 micron. if 0 dBM light is launched from the SMF to MMF how much light is transmitted in
dBM and in mW. if 0 dBM light is launched from the MMF to SMF how much light is transmitted
in dBM and in mW.
35) Two fibers with NA 0.2 and 0.3 respectively are connected with a connector. if -10 dBM of light is
launched from the fiber with NA 0.2 to the fiber with NA 0.3 how much light is transmitted in dBM
and in mW. if light is launched other way how much light is transmitted in dBM and in mW.
36) (a) 100 μW of light is launched into port 1 of 4 port FBT coupler. If the measured output at 2,3
and 4 are 0.001, 40 and 35 μW what are the values of Excess loss, Insertion loss (from 1 to 3 and
from 1 to 4), cross talk and split ratio. (b) If two couplers are connected in such a way that the
port 3 of the first coupler is connected to the port 1 of the second coupler, what will be the
outputs from the remaining ports of the second coupler.
37) With suitable diagram describe V-groove mechanical splicing technique.

Chapter 6

38) Find the Einstein relation between stimulated and spontaneous emission. Hence explain why
population inversion is necessary for laser operation.
39) Calculate the ratio of the stimulated emission rate to the spontaneous emission rate for an
incandescent lamp operating at a temperature of 1000 K. It may be assumed that the average
operating wavelength is 0.5 μm.
40) Explain how 4 level laser offers advantage over 3 level laser.
41) Find threshold optical gain for laser operation.
42) Discuss the mechanism of optical feedback to provide oscillation and hence amplification within
the laser. Indicate how this provides a distinctive spectral output from the device.
43) The longitudinal modes of a gallium arsenide injection laser emitting at a wavelength of 0.87 μm
are separated in frequency by 278 GHz. Determine the length of the optical cavity and the number
of longitudinal modes emitted. The refractive index of gallium arsenide is 3.6.
44) Describe the techniques used to give both electrical and optical confinement in multimode
injection lasers.
45) What is meant by frequency chirp?

Chapter 8

46) Explain the detection process in the p–n photodiode. Compare this device with the p–i–n
photodiode.
47) Discuss principle of avalanche photo diode.
48) Define the quantum efficiency and the responsivity of a photodetector. Derive an expression for
the responsivity of an intrinsic photodetector in terms of the quantum efficiency of the device
and the wavelength of the incident radiation. Determine the wavelength at which the quantum
efficiency and the responsivity are equal.
49) Explain what is meant by the long-wavelength cutoff point for an intrinsic photodetector,
deriving any relevant expressions.
50) A p–n photodiode has a quantum efficiency of 50% at a wavelength of 0.9 μm. Calculate: (a) its
responsivity at 0.9 μm; (b) the received optical power if the mean photocurrent is 10−6 A; (c)
the corresponding number of received photons at this wavelength.
51) When 800 photons per second are incident on a p–i–n photodiode operating at a wavelength of
1.3 μm they generate on average 550 electrons per second which are collected. Calculate the
responsivity of the device.
52) Quantum efficiency of a Avalanche photodiode is 80%, the wavelength is 1.5 μm, optical power
is o.5μW, output current from the device is 11μA. Find the multiplication factor M given by M =
I/Ip where I is the total output current and Ip is the primary photo current.

Fiber Amplifier

53) With the aid of proper diagram, explain working principle of EDFA.
54) Briefly explain different pumping configuration of EDFA.
55) Explain input-output characteristic of EDFA

Chapter 9

56) Describe in detail what is meant by quantum noise. Show that probability of error, while the signal
is detected by ideal detector, decreases exponentially with the number of average incident
photon.
57) A silicon photodiode has a responsivity of 0.5 A W−1 at a wavelength of 0.85 μm. Determine the
minimum incident optical power required at the photodiode at this wavelength in order to
maintain a bit-error-rate of 10−7, when utilizing ideal binary signaling at a rate of 35 Mbit s−1.
58) A digital optical fiber communication system operating at a wavelength of 1 μm requires a
maximum bit-error-rate of 10−9. Determine: (a) the theoretical quantum limit at the receiver in
terms of the quantum efficiency of the detector and the energy of an incident photon; (b) the
minimum incident optical power required at the detector in order to achieve the above bit-error-
rate when the system is employing ideal binary signaling at 10 Mbit s−1, and assuming the detector
is ideal.

Chapter 12

59) Using the Gaussian approximation determine the required SNRs (optical and electrical) to
maintain a BER of 10−9 on a baseband binary digital optical fiber link. It may be assumed that the
decision threshold is set midway between the one and the zero level and that 2 × 10−9 erfc 4.24.
60) Design a 50 km long 10 Gb fiber optic system with Bit Error Rate (BER) of 10-11 using a 1550 nm
laser of 20 mW optical power (ignore splice loss and connector loss, use standard parameters
for calculation).
61) Redesign using splice loss and connector loss if the fiber spools are of length 2 km. Make necessary
changes of the design if the system is extended to a length of 150 km (consider splice loss and
connector loss where applicable). You are allowed to use fiber amplifier with following gain curve.

Figure: Input-output characteristics of EDFA

62) Design a system defined in problem 3 between two cities separated by 1000 km.
63) Redesign a system described in problem 3 using 1300 nm laser instead of 1500 nm.