EC6702

EC2402- OPTICAL COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKS

ANNA UNIVERSITY PREVIOUS YEARS QUESTIONS
Unit 1 - Introduction
PART A
1. What is the energy of a single photon of the light whose = 1550 nm, in eV? Nov11
2. Assume that there is a glass rod of refractive index 1.5, surrounded by air. Find the critical incident
angle.
3. A optical refractive index difference for an optical fiber designed for long distance transmission is 1%
Find the NA when the core refractive index is 1.46. Calculate the critical angle at the core-cladding
interface. May12
4. A step index fiber has a normalized freq V=26.6 at a 1300nm wavelength. If the core radius is 25m
find the numerical aperture.
5. Calculate the cutoff wavelength of a single mode fiber with core radius of 4m and = 0.003.Nov12
6. For a fiber with core refractive index of 1.54 and fractional refractive index difference of 0.01,
calculate its numerical aperture.
7.For n1=1.55 and n2=1.52, calculate the critical angle and numerical aperture. May13
8. What is linearly polarized mode?
9. The refractive indices of the core and cladding of a silica fiber are 1.48 and 1.46 Find the acceptance
angle.Nov13
10. Find the normalized freq at 820nm for a step index fiber having a 25m radius. The refractive indices
of the cladding and the core are 1.45 and 1.47respectivele. How many modes propagate in this fiber at
820nm?
11.A multimode fiber has a core diameter of 50m , cladding refractive index of 1.45 and modal
dispersion is 10 ns/km. Find NA.May14
12. Distinguish meridional rays from skew rays.
13. Define acceptance angle and NA. Nov14
14. List 2 advantages of SM fibers.
15. State Snells law May15
16. Calculate the critical angle of incidence between 2 substances with different n where n1=1.5,n2=1.46
17. What is TIR of a fiber?Nov15
18. Define phase and group velocity.
19. What are the conditions for single mode propagation? May 16
20. What is phase and group velocity?
PART B
1.i. What is numerical aperture of an optical fiber? Deduce an expression for the same. (12) Nov11
ii. Calculate NA of silica fiber with its core refractive index (n1) of 1.48 and cladding refractive index of
1.46. What should be the new value of n1 in order to change the NA to 0.23. (4)
2.i.Explain the phenomenon of TIR using Snell's law with figures and calculations. (12)
ii Distinguish step-index from graded index fibers. (4)
3.i.Derive and explain Acceptance angle and Numerical aperture (8) May12
ii. A fiber has a core radius of 25m, core refractive index of 1.48 and relative refractive index difference
of 0.01. If the operating wavelength is 0.84m, find the value of normalized freq and the number of
guided modes if refractive index difference is reduced to 0.003.(8)
4.i.Draw and explain the refractive index profile and ray transmission in single and multimode step index
fibers and graded index fibers, Write the expressions for NA and number of guided modes for a graded
index fiber (8)

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ii. A step index fiber has a core diameter of 7m and core n of 1.49,Find the shortest wavelength of light
which allows single mode operation when the relative index difference is 1%. (8)
5.i.Starting from the Maxwells equation, derive the expression for the wave equation of an
electromagnetic wave propagating through optical fiber. (8) Nov12
ii. Derive the ray theory behind the optical fiber communication by total internal reflection. State the
application of Snells law in it. (8)
6.i. A Si fiber with silica core refractive index of 1.458, v = 75 and NA = 0.3 is to be operated at 820nm.
What should be its core size and cladding refractive index? Calculate the total number of modes entering
this fiber. (8)
ii. Derive expression for the linearly polarized modes in optical fibers and obtain the equation for V
number. (8)
7.i. Calculate NA of fiber having n1=1.6 and n2=1.49 and another fiber having n1=1.458 and n2=1.405,
which fiber has greater acceptance angle?(8) May13
ii. Derive the mode equations for a circular fiber using Maxwells equations (8)
8.i. Explain the ray theory of fiber with a special mention about TIR,acceptance angle and NA (8)
ii. Explain single mode fibers and their mode field diameter. (8)
9.i. With a neat diagram explain the different components if optical fiber link (12) Nov13
ii.Compare optical fiber link and satellite link. (4)
10.i.Explain the difference between meridional and skew rays (4)
ii. Differentiate phase and group velocities. (6)
iii. Deduce an expression for NA of a fiber with a help of a neat diagram (6)
11.i.Explain Ray transmission theory.(8) May14
ii. Explain TIR,NA and acceptance angle. (8)
12.Explain electromagnetic mode theory of optical propagation.(16)
13.i. Define the normalized freq for an optical fiber and explain its use. (8)Nov14
ii. Discuss on the transmission of light through graded index fiber (8)
14.i.Explain and compare multimode and step index fibers features.
ii. A single mode step index fiber has a core diameter of 7m and a core refractive index of 1.49. Estimate
the shortest wavelength of light which allows single mode operation when the relative refractive index
difference for the fiber is 1% (8)
15. i. For a multimode a multimode step index fiber with glass core n1=1.5 and a fused quartz cladding
n2=1.46 find the acceptance angle and NA. The source to fiber medium is air (6) May15
ii. Explain the ray propagation into and down an optical fiber cable. Also derive the expression for
acceptance angle (10)
16.i.Describe step index and graded index fiber (6)
ii. Contrast the advantages and disadvantages of step index and graded index, multimode and single mode
propagation. (10)
17.i.With a neat diagram explain acceptance angle and NA of fibers (10) Nov15
ii. Classify fibers and explain. (6)
18.Describe and derive the modes of planar guide. (16)
19.i.Explain the ray propagation in the optical fiber based on the ray theory analysis. (6)May16
ii. Derive NA of an optical fiber. (5)
iii. Determine the normalized freq at 820nm for a step index fiber having a 25m core radius n1=1.48 and
n2=1.46 a. How many modes propagate in this fiber at 1320nm? b. How many modes propagate in this
fiber at 1320nm? c.How many modes propagate in this fiber at 1550nm? d. What percent of the optical
power flows in the cladding in each case? (5)
20.Using Maxwells equations derive the expressions for electric and magnetic field components and also
arrive boundary condtion of the circular waveguide. (16)

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Unit 2 - Transmission Characteristics Of Optical Fibers

PART A
1. Define the attenuation coefficient of a fiber. Nov11
2. Calculate the cut-off wavelength of an optical signal through a fiber with its core refractive index
of 1.50 and that of cladding = 1.46. The core radius of 25 m. The normalized frequency is 2.405.
3. Consider a 20km long optical fiber that has an attenuation of 0.8dB/km at 1300nm. Find the
optical power Pout if 200w of optical power is launched into the fiber? May12
4. What factors cause the Rayleigh scattering in optical fibers?
5. What are the two reasons for chromatic dispersion? Nov12
6. What are the most important non-linear effects of optical fiber communication?
7. What is Rayleigh scattering? May13
8. A continuous 12kms long optical fiber link has a loss of 1.5dB/km. What is the minimum optical
power that must be launched into the fiber to get an optical power level of o.3W at the receiving
end. Nov 13
9. Define dispersion in multimode fibers. What is its effects?
10. State the causes of scattering loss. May14
11. A fiber has an attenuation of 1.5dB/km at 1300nm.If 0.5mW power is launched into the optical
fiber, what will be the power level at 9km?
12. What are the types of fiber losses which are given per unit distance? Nov14
13. List the factors that causes intrinsic joint losses.
14. Define signal attenuation. May15
15. What are bending losses? Name any 2 types.
16. What do you mean by polarization dispersion?Nov15
17. A fiber has an attenuation of 0.5dB/Km at 1550nm. If 0.5 mW of optical power is initially
launched into the fiber, What is the power level in after 25Kms.
18. What is chromatic dispersion? May16
19. What are the causes of self phase modulation and cross phase modulation?
PART B
1.i. What do you mean by pulse broadening? Explain its effect on information carrying capacity of a fiber.
(12) Nov11
ii. An LED operating at 850 nm has a spectral width of 45 nm.What is the pulse spreading in ns/km due to
material dispersion? What is the pulse spreading when a laser diode having a 2 nm spectral width is used?
The material dispersion is 90 ps/nm km. (4)
2.i.Explain Non linear scattering loss and bending loss (10) May12
ii. Explain material dispersion in optical fiber (6)
3.i. Explain fiber alignment and joint loss. (8)
4.i.Describe the linear and non-linear scattering losses in optical fibers. (8) Nov12
ii. An LED operating at 850nm has a spectral width of 45mm. What is the pulse spreading in ns/km due to
material dispersion? What is the pulse spreading when a laser diode having a 2nm spectral width is used?
(8)
5.i. Derive expressions for material dispersion and waveguide dispersion and explain (8) May13
6.Discuss the attenuation encountered in optical fiber communication due to i. bending ii. Scattering and
iii. Absoption (16) Nov13
7 i. Differentiate intermodal and intramodal dispersion (12)
ii. Find the maximum bit rate for the fiber link of 5kms.where NA is 0.25 and n is 1.48 (4)
8.Explain attenuation and losses in optical fiber. (16) May14
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9.Explain inter and intra modal dispersion (16)

10. i. What is meant by critical bending radius of optical fibers? Explain(8) Nov14
ii. Explain modal birefringence and beat length.(8)
11. What are loss or signal attenuation mechanisms in a fiber? Explain. (16) May15
12.Explain the causes and types of fiber attenuation loss (16)Nov15
13.i. Derive the expression foe the intramodal dispersion. (10)
14.Explain with mathematical expression the various attenuation mechanism in optical fiber. (16) May16
15.i.Describe the mechanism of intermodal dispersion in a multimode step index fiber. Show that the total
broadening of a light pulse Ts due to intermodal dispersion in a multimode step index fiber may be
given by Ts=L(NA)2/2n1c, where L is the fiber length, NA is the numerical aperture, n 1 is the core
refractive index and c is the velocity of light in a vacuum(10)
ii. A multimode step index fiber has a NA of 0.2 and a core refractive index of 1.47. Estimate the BW
distance product for fiber assuming only intermodal dispersion and return to zero code when
There is no mode coupling between the guided modes
Mode coupling between the guided modes gives a characteristic length equivalent to 0.6 of the
actual fiber length. (6)
Unit 3 - Sources And Detectors
PART A
1. Why silicon is not used to fabricate LED or Laser diode? Nov11
2. Calculate the external differential quantum efficiency of a laser diode operating at 1.33m. The slope
of the straight line portion of the curve for the emitted optical power P versus drive current I is given by
15 mW/mA.
3. State the advantages of LED. May12
4. Photons of energy 1.53x10-19J are incident on a photo diode which has a responsivity of 0.65A/W. If the
optical power level is 10m, then find the photo current generated.
5. Compare and contrast between surface and edge emitting LEDs. Nov12
6. Calculate the band gap energy for an LED to emit 850nm. May13
7. Define detector response time.
8. What is meant by mechanical splicing?May13
9. Write the difference between Laser and LED. Nov13
10. For a photo diode define quantum efficiency and responsivity.
11. If the absorption co-efficient of silicon is 0.05m-1 at 860nm, find the penetration depth at which
p(x)/pin=0.368. May14
12. Define internal quantum efficiency of LED.
13. Define internal quantum efficiency of LED. Nov14
14. Define power bandwidth product. May15
15.What is meant by hetero junction structure? Nov15
16.Define internal quantum efficiency of LED and Laser.
17.Comapre LED and ILD. May16
18.A GaAs laser operating at 850nm has 250m length and a refractive index of 3.7 What are the
frequency and wavelength spacing?
PART B
1.i. Compare LED with a laser diode. (4) Nov11
ii. With the help of a neat diagram explain the construction and working of a surface emitting LED.(12)
2.i. What is meant by fiber splicing? Explain fusion splicing of optical fibers. (8)Nov11
ii Explain expanded beam fiber connector with a neat schematic.(8)
iii.Define S/N ratio of a photodetector. What conditions should be met to achieve a high SNR? (4)
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3.i.Explain surface and edge emitting LEDs.(8) May12

ii. Explain any 2 injection laser structure (8)
4.i.Explain mechanical splices (8)
ii. A silicon P-I-N diode incorporated into an optical rx has a quantum efficiency of 60% when operating
at a wavelength of 0.9m The dark current in the device is 3nA and the load resistance is 4k. The
incident optical power is 200nW and the post detection Bandwidth of the rx is 5MHz. Find the root mean
square shot noise and thermal noise currents generated. (8)
5.i. Draw and explain the structure of Fabry-Perot resonator cavity for a laser diode. Derive laser diode
rate equations. (16) Nov12
6.i.What are the three factors that decides the response time of photodiodes? Explain them in detail with
necessary sketches. (8)
7.i. Draw and explain the various fiber alignment and joint losses. (8)
ii.Write notes on fiber splices and connectors. (8)
8.i.Explain SLED and ELED. (8) May13
ii. Draw the injection laser diode and explain lasing in it. (8)
iii. Describe the various types of fiber connectors and couplers. (8)
9.i.Explain fiber alignment and joint losses. (8)
ii. Explain fiber splicing techniques. (8)
10.i.Explain the working of hetero structure LED (10) Nov13
ii. Define internal quantum efficiency of a LED Deduce its expression.(6)
11.i.Explain optical wave confinement and current confinement in LASER. (10)
ii. Explain the different noise sources of a photo detector. (6)
12.Explain SLED and ELED (16) May14
13.i. Describe the operation of injection laser.(10) Nov14
ii. Compare the optical sources LED and ILD.(6)
14.i. What are the possible noise sources that contribute the photodetection noise. (8)
ii. What is meant by detector response time? Explain(8)
15.i.Describe the 3 types of fiber misalignment that contribute to insersion loss at fiber joint.(8)
16.i. Explain the working of an LED. (8) May15
ii. Derive the expression for quantum efficiency of a double hetero structure LED. (8)
17.i.A photodiode is constructed of GaAs which has a band gap energy of 1.43eV at 300K. Find the long
wavelength cut-off. (4)
ii. Derive an expression for mean square photo detector noise current. (8)
iii.Write notes on response time. (4)
18.i. Explain fiber splicing (10)
ii. What are the primary requirements of a good fiber connector design? (6)
19.Draw and compare LED and ILD structures. (10) Nov15
20.Discuss about optical detector noise. (16)
ii.Describe about fiber connectors, splices and couplers. (6)
21.i.Draw and explain double hetero-structure light emitter with energy band diagram and refractive
index profile (6)May16
ii. Why is the double hetero-structure preferred for optical fiber communication? Justify your answer. (3)
iii. Derive with relavent mathematical expression of optical power emitted from LED. (7)
21. Discuss various noise sources available in APD and also derive the expression for the optimum gain at
maximum signal to noise ratio. (16)

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Unit 4 - Fiber Optic Receiver And Measurements

PART A
1. Define quantum efficiency of a photo detector and write the expression. Nov11
2. Mention the error sources in fiber optic receiver.
3. Define Quantum Limit May12
4. What are the methods used to measure fiber refractive index profiles?
5. What is dark current? Nov12
6. List out the various error sources.
7.List out the various error sources. May13
8. What is known as quantum limit?
9.A digital optic link operating at 1310nm needs a maximum BER of 10-8 Find the needed average
photons per pulse. Nov13
10. The photo detector output in a cutback attenuation set up is 3.3 V at the far end of the fiber. After
cutting the fiber at the near end 5m from the far end photo detector output read was 3.93V What is the
attenuation of the fiber in dB/km?
11.Define quantum limit.May14
12. What are the sources of rx error?
13. Mention the advantages of using transimpedance front end rx configuration Nov14
14. State the significance of maintaining the fiber outer diameter constant.
15. Define bit error rate. May15
16. List any 2 advantages of trans impedance amplifiers.
17.Draw and describe the operation of fiber optic receiver.Nov15
18.Mention few fiber diameter measurement techniques.
19.Define quantum limit. May16
PART B
1.i. Explain the fiber optic receiver operation using a simple model and its equivalent
circuit. (8) Nov11
ii. Explain the operation of a pre-amplifier built using a FET. (8)
2. Explain the measurement technique used in the case of
i. Numerical aperture
ii. Refractive index profile
iii. Fiber cut-off wave length
iv. Fiber diameter. (16)
3.Discuss the noise and disturbances affecting the optical detection systems (16) May12
4.i. Explain attenuation measurements using cutback method. (8)
ii. Explain freq domain measurements of fiber dispersion (8)
5.i. Draw the front end optical amplifiers and explain. (8) Nov12
ii. Considering the probability distributions for received logic 0 and 1 signal pulses, derive the
expressions for BER and error function. (8)
6.Write notes on the following i. Fiber refractive index profile measurement (8)
ii. Fiber cut off wavelength measurement (8)
7.i.Draw the front end optical amplifiers and explain. (8) May13
ii. Considering the probability distributions for received logic 0 and 1 pulses derive expressions for BER
and error function.(8)
8.Write notes on i.Fiber refractive index profile measurements. (8)
ii. Fiber cutoff wavelength measurements. (8)
9.i. Explain 2 types of preamplifiers used in a receiver, (12) Nov13
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ii. Define quantum limit and probability of error (4)

10.i.Explain insersion loss method for attenuation measurements. (8)
ii. Expain the technique used in measuring intermodal freq domain dispersion.(8)
11.Explain optical rx and state its performance. (16) May14
12.Explain dispersion and NA measurements. (16)
13.Explain fundamental optical rx. (16) Nov14
14.Explain the measurements of NA and refractive index profiles. (16)
15.Explain optical receiver. (16) May15
16.i. A digital fiber optic link operating at 850nm requires a maximum BER of 10-9. Find the quantum
limit in terms of the quantum efficiency of the detector and the energy of the incident photon(6)
ii. Explain the attenution and dispersion measurements in detail. (10)
17.Derive the probability of error of fiber optic receiver. (16)Nov15
18. Explain how attenuation and dispersion measurements could be done.
19.i.Explain transimpedance amplifier. State its advantages. (10)May16
ii. Consider a digital fiber link operating at a bit rate of 622Mbps at 1550nm The InGaAs pin detector has
a quantum efficiency of 0.8. Find the minimum number of photons in a pulse required for a BER of 10 -9.
Find the corresponding minimum incident power. (6)
20.Explain refractive index profile measurements. (16)

Unit 5 - Optical Networks

PART A
1. What are the three common topologies used for fiber optical network? Give the schematic of any one
network? Nov11
2. Calculate the number of independent signals that can be sent on a single fiber in the 1525-1565 nm
band. Take the spectral spacing as per ITU-T recommendation G.692.
3. Write the functions of path overhead. May12
4. What are the drawbacks of broadcast and select networks for wide area network applications.
5. What were the problems associated with PDH networks? Nov12
6. Enumerate the various SONET/SDH layers.
7. What is broadcast and select network? May13
8. What is solitons?
9. Obtain the transmission bit rate of the basic SONET frame in Mbps. Nov13
10.Illustrate inter channel cross talk that occurs in a WDM system.
11. State the advantages of SONET over PDH. May14
12. Give the significance of solitons.
13. State the concept of WDM. Nov14
14. What is solitons?
15. What is SONET? May15
16. What is Soliton?
17.What is optical CDMA? Nov15
18. Distinguish SONET and SDH.
19. What are the pumping mechanisms used in EDFA?May16
20.What is optical CDMA mechanism?

PART B
1. Explain the architecture of SONET and discuss nonlinear effects on Network performance.(16)
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Nov11
2. Write short notes on (i) Wavelength routed networks. (8)
(ii) Optical CDMA. (8)
3.Write short notes on i. WDM system performance(8) May12
ii. Optical CDMA (8)
4.Explain the principle of solitons and discuss parameters with expressions and diagrams. (16)
5. discuss the concepts of Media Access Control protocols in Broadcast and select networks. (16) Nov12
6.i.Describe the non-linear effects on network performance in detail. (8)
ii. Explain the basics of optical CDMA systems. (8)
7.i.Discuss the concepts of Broadcast and select networks. (8) May13
ii. Discuss about nonlinear effects on network performance in detail (8)
8.i.Explain layered architecture of SONET/SDH (8)
ii. Explain CDMA(8)
9.i.Explain four fiber BLSR ring in a SONET. (8) Nov13
ii. What is broadcast multihop network? Explain (8)
10.i. Explain thefollowing requirements for the design of an optically amplified WDM link
a. Link bandwidth
b. Optical power requirements for a specific BER. (8)
ii. Write short notes on solitons (8)
11.Explain SONET layers and frame structures. (16) May14
12. With a suitable examples the conditions and constraints in the formulation and solution of routing and
wavelength assignment problems in the optical way. (16)
13. Explain OTDR (out of syllabus) (16)Nov14
14.i. Explain WDM networks (8)
ii. Explain Ultra high capacity networks.(8)
15.i. Explain the features of Ultra High capacity networks.(8) May15
ii. Explain OTDR and its applications.(8)
16.i. Explain WDM networks. (8)
ii. Discuss the non-linear effects on optical network performance. (8)
17.Explain SONET layers and frame structure with diagram (16) Nov15
18.Discuss the performance improvement of WDM and EDFA systems (16)
19.i. Explain the layered architecture and transmission formats of SONET. (8)May 16
ii. Explain two popular architectures of SONET. (8)
20.Explain about different types of Broadcast and select WDM networks.(16)

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