Optical communications repeater

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An optical communications repeater is used in a fiber-optic communications system to

regenerate an optical signal by converting it to an electrical signal, processing that
electrical signal and then retransmitting an optical signal. Such repeaters are used to
extend the reach of optical communications links by overcoming loss due to attenuation
of the optical fibre and distortion of the optical signal. Such repeaters are known as
'optical-electrical-optical' (OEO) due to the conversion of the signal. Repeaters are also
called regenerators for the same reason.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Classification of regenerators
• 2 All-Optical regenerators
• 3 Optical Amplifiers
• 4 Electronic vs Optical regeneration
• 5 See also

• 6 Notes

[edit] Classification of regenerators

Optical regenerations are classified into 3 categories by the 3 R's scheme [1].

1. R : reamplification of the data pulse alone is carried out.

2. 2R : in addition to reamplification, pulse reshaping is carried out. Eg: Mamyshev
2R regenerator
3. 3R : in addition to reamplification and reshaping, retiming of data pulse is done.

[edit] All-Optical regenerators

An alternative method of regeneration is through all-optical without requirement to
convert back and forth. Using Non-linear optical fiber allow designers to use nonlinear
effects of frequency shifting and frequency generation effects for regeneration. The key
advantage of all-optical regeneration is power efficiency provided by the device, and
simple integration into an optical network.

[edit] Optical Amplifiers

Cost efficiency has lead to repeaters being largely replaced in long-haul systems by
Optical amplifiers since one ( broadband ) amplifier can be used for many wavelengths in
a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) system. Note that this class of device is
sometimes called "Optical Amplifier Repeater". [2]

[edit] Electronic vs Optical regeneration

Due to the high data rates that can be achieved with optical systems, OEO repeaters are
expensive to implement as electronics to handle those high data rates are expensive and
difficult to construct. Also, since one repeater is required for each wavelength, and many
tens of wavelengths may be transmitted down a single fibre, a lot of equipment is
required for each fibre. In contrast, an optical amplifier can amplify all of the
wavelengths in a single device. An amplifier does not provide the regeneration ability of
a repeater, but loss, rather than distortion is generally the limiting factor in the design of
communications system.

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Repeater
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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For other uses, see Repeater (disambiguation).

A wireless repeater.
A repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal and retransmits it at a higher
level and/or higher power, or onto the other side of an obstruction, so that the signal can
cover longer distances without degradation.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Description
o 1.1 Digipeater
• 2 Usage
• 3 See also
• 4 Repeater lists
• 5 External links

6 References [edit] Description

The term "repeater" originated with telegraphy and referred to an electromechanical
device used to regenerate telegraph signals. Use of the term has continued in telephony
and data communications.

In telecommunication, the term repeater has the following standardized meanings:

1. An analog device that amplifies an input signal regardless of its nature (analog or
digital).
2. A digital device that amplifies, reshapes, retimes, or performs a combination of
any of these functions on a digital input signal for retransmission.[1]

Because repeaters work with the actual physical signal, and do not attempt to interpret the
data being transmitted, they operate on the Physical layer, the first layer of the OSI
model.

[edit] Digipeater

A "digipeater" is a blend meaning "digital repeater", particularly used in amateur radio.

Store and forward digipeaters generally receive a packet radio transmission and then
retransmit it on the same frequency, unlike repeaters that receive on one and transmit on
another frequency.

[edit] Usage
Repeaters are often used in trans-continental and submarine communications cables,
because the attenuation (signal loss) over such distances would be unacceptable without
them. Repeaters are used in both copper-wire cables carrying electrical signals, and in
fibre optics carrying light.
Main article: Optical communications repeater

Repeaters are used in radio communication services. Radio repeaters often transmit and
receive on different frequencies. A special subgroup of those repeaters is those used in
amateur radio.

Main articles: Radio Repeater and amateur radio repeater

Repeaters are also used extensively in broadcasting, where they are known as translators,
boosters or TV relay transmitters.

Main article: broadcast translator

When providing a point-to-point telecom link using radio beyond line of sight, one uses
repeaters in a microwave radio relay. A reflector, often on a mountaintop, that relays such
signals around an obstacle, is called a passive repeater or Passive Radio Link Deflection.
A microwave repeater in a communications satellite is called a transponder.

In optical communications the term repeater is used to describe a piece of equipment that
receives an optical signal, converts that signal into an electrical one, regenerates it, and
then retransmits an optical signal. Since such a device converts the optical signal into an
electrical one, and then back to an optical signal, they are often known as Optical-
Electrical-Optical (OEO) repeaters.

Before the invention of electronic amplifiers, mechanically coupled carbon microphones

were used as amplifiers in telephone repeaters. The invention of the audion tube made
transcontinental telephony practical. In the 1930s vacuum tube repeaters using hybrid
coils became commonplace, allowing the use of thinner wires. In the 1950s negative
impedance gain devices were more popular, and a transistorized version called the E6
repeater was the final major type used in the Bell System before the low cost of digital
transmission made all voiceband repeaters obsolete. Frequency frogging repeaters were
commonplace in frequency-division multiplexing systems from the middle to late 20th
century.