Optical Communication Systems: Fiber Optics Overview

OBJECTIVES

. Define Optical Communication

. Present an overview of the history of optical fibers and optical fiber communication

. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of optical fibers over metallic cables

. Define electromagnetic frequency and wavelength spectrum

. Define modes of propagation and index profile.

. Describe the three types of optical fiber configurations: single-mode step index, multimode step index and multimode graded index.

Optical Principles

. Optical communication systems use light to transmit information from one place to another.

. Light is a type of electromagnetic radiation like radio waves.

. Today, infrared light is being used increasingly as the carrier for information in communication systems.

. The transmission medium is either free space or a light-carrying cable called a fiber-optic cable.

. Because the frequency of light is extremely high, it can accommodate very high rates of data transmission with excellent reliability.