The Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: Introduction to fiber-optic communications. Semiconductor diode lasers, internal modulation, electro-optic modulation, coherent and incoherent detection, optical fibers and their properties, optical amplifiers, communication systems, and optical networks.

REQUIRED TEXT: Govind P. Agrawal, Fiber-Optic Communication Systems, John Wiley & Sons, Third edition (2002)

INSTRUCTOR: Horace Yuen, Tech M320 (Spring 2012)

COURSE COORDINATOR: Prem Kumar

COURSE GOALS: To introduce students to the field of fiber-optic communication. 

PREREQUISITES: EECS 308 or EECS 379 or equivalent.

DETAILED COURSE TOPICS:

• Communication link: overview
• Optical fiber characteristics: modes, loss, dispersion, nonlinearities  
• Transmitters: directly modulated semiconductor lasers, external modulation
• Receivers: photodiodes, avalanche photodetectors
• System design and performance: bit-error rate, signal-to-noise ratio
• Optical amplifiers: Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, Rmaan amplifiers
• Dispersion management and WDM systems

COMPUTER USAGE: Incidental use of MATLAB, Mathematica, or equivalent.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS:

Homework will reinforce concepts learned in class.

GRADES:

• 30% Homework
• 20% Midterm
• 50% Final Exam  

COURSE OBJECTIVES: When a student completes this course, he or she should be able to:

• Understand the functionality of each of the components that comprise a fiber-optic communication system: transmitter, fiber, amplifier, and receiver.
• Understand the properties of optical fiber that affect the performance of a communication link.
• Understand how semiconductor lasers work, and differentiate between direct modulation and external electro-optic modulation.
• Understand basic optical amplifier operation and its effect on signal power and noise in the system.
• Apply concepts listed above to the design of a basic communication link.

ABET CONTENT CATEGORY: 100% Engineering (Design component).