Optical Communications

Optical communications is a frequent elective/core course offered to third/final year undergraduate students in Electrical Engineering. This course offers a gradual approach to optical communications with emphasis on latest developments in coherent optical communications. Starting from a broad introduction to transmitters and receivers, this course covers optical fibers and waveguides, lasers, detectors, optical amplifiers, channel impairments and their mitigation using signal processing algorithms. Matlab models will be discussed.
INTENDED AUDIENCE : UGPRE-REQUISITES : Knowledge of electromagnetics and digital communication fundamentalsINDUSTRY SUPPORT : Tejas Networks, Sterlite Technologies, Many defense labs, etc

COURSE LAYOUT

Week 1: Overview of optical fiber communications, Optical transmitter components--lasers and optical modulatorsWeek 2: General digital communication system, Line coding and Pulse shaping, Signal space representationWeek 3: Digital modulation formats: ASK, PSK, and QAM, Matlab models, Optical implementation, Matlab modelsWeek 4: Higher-order modulation (star and square QAM) and Multicarrier modulation (OFDM), Optimum receiver principlesWeek 5: Optical receivers I: Photodetectors and its performance characteristics, noise in photodetection, common types of photodetectorsWeek 6: Optical receivers II: Direct detection, self-homodyne (differential) detection, and coherent detection, Sensitivity, Impact of noiseWeek 7: Lasers, rate equations, RIN and phase noiseWeek 8: Optical amplifiers: EDFA and SOA, ASE, system impactWeek 9: Electromagnetic theory, Wave equations, Reflection and transmission of wavesWeek 10:Optical fiber modes, single and multi-mode fibers, single and multi-core fibers, attenuation and dispersionWeek 11:Nonlinear effects (SPM, XPM, FWM), Multiplexing: Polarization, Wavelength, and Time division multiplexed systems, Important WDM componentsWeek 12:DSP in optical communications, dispersion mitigation, phase noise estimation and compensation, carrier phase recovery, digital back propagation