Optical communications

Chapter 2.2
Pham Quang Thai
Pqthai.hmcut@gmail.com

Content

Geometrical optics
Optical propagation in fiber
Fiber fabrication
Signal degradation in fiber
Types of fiber

Basic parameters

Light: an electro-magnetic (EM) wave and

discrete energy packets (photon)

Different power distribution. Why?

Video: multi mode fiber

Johann Carl
Friedrich Gauss

Michael Faraday

Andr-Marie Ampre

James Clerk Maxwell

 Very low loss and axial circular symmetry of fiber give

 Ez inside the core:

Bessel function

Ez outside the core:

modified Bessel
function

Optical propagation in fiber

Fiber mode
There are several modes when light
propagates in fiber
Transverse electric (TE) mode: EZ=0
Transverse magnetic (TM) mode: HZ=0
Hybrid mode: EZ0 and HZ0
Hybrid mode is denoted HE or EH depending on
whether HZ or EZ is larger

For each l, Bessels functions have m roots, so

each mode is denote as MODElm (TE01, TM01, HE11
etc.)
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The number of modes

depends on

The value of V for a mode to appear is its cut-off frequency

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Conclusion
Electromagnetic field distributes in several modes.
The field are not confined to the core, high order
modes penetrate further into the cladding
TE and TM modes only appear when l=0, all other
modes are hybrid modes.
There is always at least one mode (HE11)
More modes appear as V increases
The value V=2.405 is the condition for one mode or
multi-mode
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Examples for chapter 2.2

Problems 2-19:
Determine the normalized frequency (V) at 820
nm for a step index fiber having a 25-m core
radius, n1=1.48 and n2=1.46

Content

Geometrical optics
Optical propagation in fiber
Fiber fabrication
Signal degradation in fiber
Types of fiber

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Fiber fabrication
Refer to section 2.8 in text book [1]

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Fiber fabrication
Video.

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