OPE4701/101/0/2018

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2018

Opto-Electronics IV (Theory)
OPE4701

Year module

Department of Electrical and Mining

Engineering

This tutorial letter contains important information

about your module.

BARCODE
 CONTENTS
Page

1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ...................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 3
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 3
3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS................................................................................... 4
3.1 Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 4
3.2 Department ................................................................................................................................... 4
3.3 University ...................................................................................................................................... 4
4 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 4
4.1 Prescribed books .......................................................................................................................... 4
4.2 Recommended books ................................................................................................................... 4
4.3 Electronic Reserves (e-Reserves)................................................................................................. 5
4.4 Library services and resources information ................................................................................... 5
5 SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE MODULE ................................................................................. 5
6 STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................... 5
7 PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING ..................................................... 5
8 ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................. 5
8.1 Assessment criteria....................................................................................................................... 5
8.2 Assessment plan .......................................................................................................................... 6
8.3 Assignment numbers .................................................................................................................... 6
8.3.1 General assignment numbers ....................................................................................................... 6
8.3.2 Unique assignment numbers ........................................................................................................ 6
8.4 Assignments due dates ................................................................................................................. 6
8.5 Submission of assignments .......................................................................................................... 6
8.6 The assignments .......................................................................................................................... 8
8.7 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................ 20
8.8 The examination ......................................................................................................................... 20
9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 20
10 SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 20
11 IN CLOSING ............................................................................................................................... 20
12 ADDENDUM ............................................................................................................................... 20

2
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student
Welcome to the subject Opto-Electronics IV (Theory) (OPE4701) at UNISA. This tutorial letter
serves as a guideline to this subject. It provides you with general administrative information as
well as specific information about the subject. Read it carefully and keep it safe for future
reference. We trust that you will enjoy this course.

2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES

2.1 Purpose
The study of optics and electro-optics concerns the generation of electromagnetic waves, the
transmission of information through optical systems as well as the detection of the information.
In general electro-optics can be summarised as:
- the generation of electromagnetic radiation,
- the transmission of radiation through free space or interaction with other materials,
- modification of radiation by free space or by interaction with other materials,
- image formation and optical signal processing with various optical systems,
- detection of radiation.

2.2 Outcomes
The outcomes of this module are to enable the student to:

- study definitions such as acceptance angle, numerical aperture, normalised

frequency, cut-off wavelength spot size and mode field diameter,
- study and apply the concepts of modes in multimode and single mode fibres
although a detailed theoretical analysis is not necessary,
- study dispersion and pulse broadening effects,
- study, and apply in detail the effect of total dispersion which is a combined effect
of intramodal (chromati3) dispersion and intermodal dispersion, and the effect of
dispersion on the fibre bandwidth.
- summarise different fiber manufacturing techniques, specifications and
characteristics of various fibre types, and fibre joining,
- summarise basic operation of lasers including concepts such as absorption,
stimulated and spontaneous emission, population inversion, optical feedback and
lasing threshold, and principles and characteristics of pn-junctions and
semiconductor lasers,
- apply operational principles, characteristics and modulations techniques of LED’s,
- apply operational principles and characteristics (absorption, efficiency,
responsivity, wavelength cut-off) of optical detectors,

3
 - study, and apply noise sources in optical detectors and amplifier circuits as well as
amplifiers and receiver structures, system design considerations, digital systems
and analogue systems,
- study and apply the principles of coherent detection systems, sensitivities and
practical considerations,
- study and apply fibre system measurements (attenuation, dispersion, refractive
index, numerical aperture, mode field and fibre diameter).
-

3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

3.1 Lecturer(s)

Your Lecturer for Opto-Electronics IV is MF GROBLER.

You can contact him on:
Tel nr : (011) 559-4081/6116
e-mail: michaelg@uj.ac.za
Contact Times : Mondays to Fridays
08h00 to 15h00

3.2 Department
Department of Electrical and Mining Engineering: electrical&mining@unisa.ac.za

3.3 University

If you need to contact the University about matters not related to the content of this module,
please consult the publication My studies @ Unisa that you received with your study material.
This brochure contains information on how to contact the University (e.g. to whom you can write
for different queries, important telephone and fax numbers, addresses and details of the times
certain facilities are open).Always have your student number at hand when you contact the
University.

4 RESOURCES
4.1 Prescribed books
Senior, J M, 3rd ed., 1992. Optical Fiber Communication Principles and Practice. PRENTICE-
HALL. ISBN 0-13-635426-2.

4.2 Recommended books

There are no recommended books for this module.

4
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

4.3 Electronic Reserves (e-Reserves)

There are no electronic reserves for this module.

4.4 Library services and resources information

For brief information, go to www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

For detailed information, go to the Unisa website at http://www.unisa.ac.za/ and click on
Library.
For research support and services of personal librarians, go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=7102.

The Library has compiled numerous library guides:

 finding recommended reading in the print collection and e-reserves –

http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/undergrad
 requesting material – http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request
 postgraduate information services – http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/postgrad
 finding , obtaining and using library resources and tools to assist in doing research –
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_Skills
 how to contact the library/finding us on social media/frequently asked questions –
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask

5 SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE MODULE

Important information appears in your my Studies @ Unisa brochure.

6 STUDY PLAN
Use your my Studies @ Unisa brochure for general time management and planning skills.

7 PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING

The practical part of this module will be covered in the module OPEPRA4.

8 ASSESSMENT

8.1 Assessment criteria

Your final mark will be calculated by using a ratio of 20% year mark and 80% examination mark.

5
8.2 Assessment plan
You will find your assignments for this subject in this Tutorial Letter. Assignment 1, 2
and 3 are compulsory and all assignments will be used in the calculation of your year
mark. Please send the completed assignments to UNISA before the closing dates stated
in this section.

Assignment 1 must be completed on a mark reading sheet.

The mark for Opto-Electronics IV (Theory) (OPE4701) is calculated as follows:

 The year mark contributes to 20%.
 The examination mark contributes to 80%

The year mark is based on all the assignment marks obtained and their contribution towards the
final year mark are as shown in the table below:

ASSIGNMENT CONTRIBUTION
NUMBER TOWARDS YEAR
MARK
1 (Compulsory) 10%

2 (Compulsory) 45%

3 (Compulsory) 45%

TOTAL = 100 %

8.3 Assignment numbers

8.3.1 General assignment numbers
Assignments are numbered consecutively per module, starting from 01.

8.3.2 Unique assignment numbers

Assignment 1: 760183
Assignment 2: 857510
Assignment 3: 828219

8.4 Assignments due dates

THE CUT-OFF SUBMISSION DATES FOR THE ASSIGNMENTS ARE :

Assignment 1: 22 May 2018
Assignment 2: 18 July 2018
Assignment 3: 5 September 2018

8.5 Submission of assignments

ALL ASSIGNMENTS (submitte4) HAVE TO BE ATTEMPTED!!!!!!!

6
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

THE SUBMISSION OF AN EMPTY ASSIGNMENT COVER IS UNACCEPTABLE.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING POINTS :

 NO LATE ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

 KEEP A CLEAR COPY OF THE ASSIGNMENT FOR YOUR OWN REFERENCE.

THIS IS IMPORTANT, AS ASSIGNMENTS DO GET LOST.

 SUBMISSIONS OF ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH “MY

STUDIES @ UNISA”.

Please note that model answers for the assignments will be dispatched to all
students within 1 week of the closing date of the assignment. This implies that
you cannot submit your assignment later than the stipulated submission date.

For detailed information and requirements as far as assignments are concerned, see the
brochure my Studies @ Unisa that you received with your study material.

To submit an assignment via myUnisa:

 Go to myUnisa.
 Log in with your student number and password.
 Select the module.
 Click on assignments in the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.
 Click on the assignment number you wish to submit.
 Follow the instructions.

7
8.6 The assignments

THE CUT-OFF SUBMISSION DATES FOR THE ASSIGNMENTS ARE :

Assignment 1: (Compulsory) 22 May 2018
Assignment 2: (Compulsory) 18 July 2018
Assignment 3: (Compulsory) 5 September 2018
ASSIGNMENT 1
To be completed on mark reading sheet.
Choose the correct answer:

1 The major components of all optical communication systems are:

1) Source, receiver and fibre

2) Fibre and source
3) Fibre and receiver
4) Fibre only

2 Which of the following is not an electromagnetic wave?

1) Radio waves
2) Light
3) Infrared radiation
4) Acoustic waves

3 The numerical aperture of a single mode fibre with a core refractive index of 1.4675
and cladding refractive index of 1.4622 is:

1) 0.150
2) 0.125
3) 0.115
4) 0.100

8
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

The cladding refractive index of a silica fibre is 1 % less than the core with a refractive index
of 1.45.

4 Calculate the cladding refractive index.

1) 1.4255
2) 1.4355
3) 1.4555
4) 1.4655

5 Determine critical angle for the fibre.

1) 1.41 rad
2) 1.43 rad
3) 1.45 rad
4) 1.47 rad

6 Determine the numerical aperture.

1) 0.2046
2) 0.2000
3) 0.1046
4) 0.1000

An optical fibre has a the following data: n1 = 1.5, n2 = 1.45.

7 Determine the critical angle.

1) 60.17º
2) 65.17º
3) 75.17º
4) 85.17º

9
8 Determine the numerical aperture.
1) 0.266
2) 0.286
3) 0.484
4) 0.384

9 Determine the acceptance angle.

1) 24.58º
2) 22.58º
3) 20.58º
4) 18.58º

The optical power launched into and optical fibre with a length of 8 km is 2dBm. The optical
power received at the detector is 0.25 µW.

10 Determine the power received by the detector in dBm

1) -36 dBm
2) -33 dBm
3) 36 dBm
4) 33 dBm

11 Calculate the signal attenuation through the fibre in dB.

1) 36 dB
2) 38 dB
3) -38 dB
4) -36 dB

12 Determine the total signal attenuation per kilometer (dB/km) for the fibre:
1) 2.75 dB/km
2) 4.00 dB/km
3) 4.75 dB/km
4) 5.25 dB/km

10
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

Answer the following 1) True or 2) False

13 The cladding of an optical fibre is to provide proper light guidance inside the core.

14 The normalized frequency of a singlemode step index fibre is 2.405.

15 To guide light the refractive index of the core of an optical fibre is more than the
cladding refractive index.

16 Pulse broadening due to modal dispersion results from different modes in a single
mode fibre.

17 Dispersion occurs in step index fibre only.

18 Intermodal dispersion occurs only in single mode optical fibre.

19 An LED as an optical source is a pn-junction operated under forward bias

conditions.

20 Step index multimode fibre is used for long distance communication.

11
 ASSIGNMENT 2
The following assignment covers work discussed in Chapters 1 to 7

Consult the prescribed textbook for the assignment.

QUESTION 1

1.1 An optical fibre has a core refractive index of 1.5 and a cladding refractive index of
1.45. Calculate the critical angle, numerical aperture and acceptance angle for the
fibre. (8)

1.2 Determine the core and cladding refractive indices of an optical fibre with a numerical
aperture of 0.35 and a refractive index difference of 0.01. (4)

1.3 A multimode step-index fibre has a relative refractive index difference of 1 % and a
core refractive index of 1.5. The number of modes at an operating wavelength of
1300 nm is 1100. Calculate the fibre core diameter. (4)
[16]

QUESTION 2

2.1 Determine the overall signal attenuation in dB/km through a fibre with a length of 20
km (no splices and connectors). The power launched into the fibre is 120 µW and the
output power is 5 µW. (4)

2.2 Calculate the loss in dB/km in an optical fibre with a length of 5 km, in which 80 % of
the optical signal is lost while propagating through the fibre. (4)
2.3 For an optical fibre communication system of 2 km length, the 3 dB pulse widths at
the input and outputs are 0.5 ns and 10 ns respectively. Find the pulse broadening for the
fibre and the maximum bit rate. (4)

2.4 An LED operating at 900 nm has a spectral width of 45 nm and launches power into a
1 km fibre. What is the pulse spreading in ns/km due to material dispersion if
? (6)

12
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

2.5 A step index single mode fibre exhibits material dispersion of 6 ps/nm-km at an
operating wavelength of 1550 nm. The core refractive index is 1.45 and the refractive
index difference is 0.5 %. Determine the diameter of the core of the fibre needed to make
the make the total dispersion zero at the operating wavelength. (8)

2.6 Calculate the Spot Size for a fiber with a numerical aperture of 0.25, a core radius of 5
m and an operational wavelength of 1.55 m. (4)

2.6.1 Determine the new spot size if another length of fiber is used with a numeric
aperture of 0.3 while the other conditions remain the same. (4)

2.7 A 10 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:

2.7.1 the delay difference between the slowest and fastest modes at the fiber output; (2)
2.7.2 the rms pulse broadening due to intermodal dispersion on the link; (2)

2.7.3 the maximum bit rate that may be obtained without substantial errors on the link
assuming only intermodal dispersion; (2)

2.7.4 the bandwidth–length product corresponding to (c). (2)

2.8 A multimode step index fiber has a numerical aperture of 0.25 and a core refractive index
of 1.45. The material dispersion parameter for the fiber is 225 ps/nm-km which makes
material dispersion the totally dominating chromatic dispersion mechanism. Estimate the
total rms pulse broadening per kilometer when the fiber is used with an LED source with
a rms spectral width of 50 nm and the corresponding bandwidth–length product for the
fiber. (8)

[50]

QUESTION 3

3.1 The measured output powers from ports 3 and 4 of a multimode fused biconical taper
(FBT) coupler are 50 µW and 52 µW respectively. If the excess loss specified for this
device is 0.7 dB, calculate the amount of optical power launched into port 1 of the coupler.
(4)

13
 3.1.1 Determine the insertion loss between the input and output ports. (4)

3.1.2 Determine the split ration for the device. (2)

3.2 A 16 × 16 port multimode fiber transmissive star coupler has 1 mW of optical power
launched into a single input port. The average measured optical power at each output
port is 14 μW. Calculate the total loss incurred by the star coupler and the average
insertion loss through the device. (4)

3.3 An 8x8 port multimode fiber reflective star coupler has 0 dBm of optical power
launched into a single port. The average measured optical power at each output port is –
22 dBm. Obtain the excess loss for the device and hence the total loss experienced by an
optical signal in transmission through the coupler. Check the result. (8)
[22]

QUESTION 4

4.1 A GaAs DH injection laser (refractive index: 3.6) has an optical cavity of length 100
µm and width 20 µm. At normal operating temperature (300 K) the loss coefficient is
10 cm-1, the mirror reflectivity at each end of the optical cavity is 0.4 and the gain
factor for the device is 3.76x10-2 cm/A. The device emits at a wavelength of 1320 nm.

4.1.1 Calculate the frequency separation of the longitudinal modes and the
number of longitudinal modes emitted by the device. (4)

4.1.2 Determine the current threshold for the device. (4)

4.2 Describe with the aid of suitable diagrams the mechanisms giving the emission of
light from an LED. (4)

4.3 The internally generated power within an LED (refractive index: 3.46) is 10 mW at a
drive current of 70 mA. The external power efficiency of the device is 0.8 % at this
drive current and the potential difference across the device is 1.8 V.

4.3.1 Determine the peak emission wavelength from the device when the radiative
and non-radiative carrier recombination lifetimes in the active region are equal.
(4)

14
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

4.3.2 Determine the transmission factor for the LED-air interface. (4)
[20]
TOTAL MARKS: 108

15
ASSIGNMENT 3

The following assignment covers work discussed in Chapters 8, 9, 12 and

13.

Consult the prescribed textbook for the assignment.

QUESTION 1

1.1 Explain the detection process in a pn diode. (4)

1.2 A pn photodiode has a quantum efficiency of 64 % for photons of energy 1.52x10 -19 J.
Calculate the wavelength at which the diode is operating and also the optical power
required to achieve a photocurrent of 3 µA at the calculated wavelength. (6)

1.3 The quantum efficiency of a pin-photodiode is 75 % at a wavelength of 1320 nm. The

diode’s capacitance is 11 pF.

1.3.1 For an input optical power of 1 W, determine the mean photocurrent. (4)

1.3.2 Determine the rms quantum noise current in a post detection bandwidth of 17
MHz. (4)

1.3.3 Calculate the signal-to-noise ratio (in dB) when the signal is equal to the mean
photocurrent (zero dark current). (4)

1.3.4 Determine the minimum load resistance corresponding to a post detection

bandwidth of 17 MHz. (4)

1.3.5 What is the thermal noise current in the load resistor at a temperature of 25
degrees Celcius? (4)

1.3.6 Determine the signal-to-noise ratio (in dB) when the dark current in the device is 2
nA. (6)
[36]

16
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

QUESTION 2

2.1 A germanium photodiode incorporated into an optical fiber receiver working at a

wavelength of 1.52 m has a dark current of 300 nA at the operating temperature of
300 K. When the incident optical power at this wavelength is 10-6 W and the
responsitivity of the device is 0.6 A/W, shot noise dominates in the receiver.
Determine the SNR (in dB) at the receiver when the post detection bandwidth is 100
MHz. (8)

2.2 An optical receiver incorporates a high impedance integrating front end amplifier in
parallel with a detector bias resistor of 15 Mohm. The effective input resistance of the
amplifier is 9 Mohm and the total capacitance of the detector and amplifier is 8 pF
(Assume T = 300 K).

2.2.1 Calculate the bandwidth and rms thermal noise current for the high
impedance front end amplifier. (6)
2.2.2 If the high impedance front end amplifier is replaced with a transimpedance
front end amplifier, determine the corresponding bandwidth and rms
thermal noise current. The transimpedance amplifier incorporates a 100
kohm feedback resistor, has an open loop gain of 100 and a capacitance of
8 pF (the detector bias resistor may be omitted). (6)

2.3 The signal to noise ratio of an optical communication system is 65 dB. A pin-
photodiode receiver with a quantum efficiency of 60% and operating wavelength of
1300 nm is used. The operating bandwidth is 20 MHz, the device dark current is 20
nA, the load resistance is 86 ohm, the amplifier noise figure, Fn = 1 and the operating
temperature is 300 K.

2.3.1 Determine the photocurrent, Ip to maintain a SNR of 45 dB. (8)

2.3.2 Calculate the corresponding incident optical power. (4)

2.3.3 Calculate the rms shot noise current. (4)

2.3.4 Calculate the rms thermal noise current. (4)

[40]

17
QUESTION 3

3.1 Consider a DWDM communication link between two sites A and B as illustrated in
figure 1 and figure 2.

Figure 1: Transmitter site A

Figure 2: Receiver site B

The two sites are separated by a distance of 10 km using standard telecommunication fiber.
The attenuation coefficient of the fiber is 0.1dB/km. The total joint loss is 3 dB. Neglect the
power penalty and safety margin. The characteristics of the OTUs from each site are identical.

3.1.1 When the amplification of the OBU is 10 dB, calculate the respective power (in
dbm) at position 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the receiver site as indicated in figure 2. (8)

3.1.2 Determine the status of the link. (Say if the link is working or not). (2)

3.2 Perform a rise-time budget for a 850 nm, 150 km fibre link designed to operate at 622
Mbps. The LED transmitter and Si pin-photodiode has rise-times of 0.1 ns and 0.5 ns
respectively. The graded index fibre has dispersion, D = 18 ps/km-nm. The LED
spectral width is 0.25 nm. Can the system operate with a NRZ signaling format? (8)

18
 OPE4701/101/0/2018

3.3 Perform a power budget and determine the for minimum source power required for a
40 km optical fibre link. The fibre attenuation is 0.5 dB/km and it has 4 splices with a
loss of 0.5 dB each, 1 dB connector loss at each end of the fibre and a -39 dBm
receiver sensitivity. Allow a 6 dB system margin. (6)
[24]
TOTAL MARKS: 102

19
8.7 Other assessment methods
None

8.8 The examination

Use your my Studies @ Unisa brochure for general examination guidelines and examination
preparation guidelines.

9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The my Studies @ Unisa brochure contains an A-Z guide of the most relevant study
information.

10 SOURCES CONSULTED
None

11 IN CLOSING
Please ensure that you have all the tutorial letters and prescribed book available before starting
with your studies.

12 ADDENDUM
None

20