Optical System Multiplexing

Multiplexing

Multiplexing
a process where multiple analoge message signals or digital data streams are combined into one signal over a shared medium

Types
Time division multiplexing Frequency division multiplexing Code division multiple access

Optically
Time division multiplexing Wavelength division multiplexing Code division multiple access

Timeline

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005 2008

Optical Fibre SDH CWDM WDM CDMA

Time division multiplexing (TDM)

TDM is well understood technique used in many electronic network architectures throughout 50year history of digital communications. In high-speed optical networks, however, TDM is limited by the fastest electronic transmitting, receiving, and processing technology available in OEO nodes, leading to so-called electrooptical bottleneck Due to electro-optical bottleneck, optical TDM networks face severe problems to fully exploit enormous bandwidth of optical fibers

Electronic signals
4x
40Gb/s delayed

Optical signals

S
1x 160Gb/s

Wavelength Division Multiplexing

WDM Overview
Wavelength Division Multiplexer Wavelength Division Demultiplexer

A B

l1

Fibre
l1 + l2

l1 l2

X Y

l2

Multiple channels of information carried over the same fiber, each using an individual wavelength Typically one channel utilizes 1320 nm and the other 1550 nm

Broad channel spacing, several hundred nm Recently WDM has become known as Coarse WDM or CWDM to distinguish it from DWDM

WDM Overview
Wavelength Division Multiplexer Wavelength Division Demultiplexer

l1
l2 l3

Fibre
l1 + l2 + l3

l1
l2 l3

X Y Z

B C

Multiple channels of information carried over the same fibre, each using an individual wavelength Attractive multiplexing technique

High aggregate bit rate without high speed electronics or modulation

Low dispersion penalty for aggregate bit rate Very useful for upgrades to installed fibres

Realisable using commercial components, unlike OTDM

Loss, crosstalk and non-linear effects are potential problems

Types of WDM

Optical Spectral Bands

2nd Window O Band

5th Window E Band

S Band
C Band L Band

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

Wavelength in nm

WDM Multiplexers/Demultiplexers
Wavelength multiplexer types include:

Fibre couplers Grating multiplexers

Wavelength demultiplexer types include:

Single mode fused taper couplers Grating demultiplexers Tunable filters

l1 l2

l1 + l2

Grin Rod Lens

Fibres

Grating Multiplexer Demultiplexe Grating r

Tunable Sources
WDM systems require sources at different wavelengths Researchers to developing precision tunable laser sources
Objective is to develop a complete module incorporating:

Multi-section segmented grating Distributed Bragg Reflector Laser diode

Thermal and current drivers Control microprocessor

Interface to allow remote optical power and wavelength setting

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing

Wavelength Division Multiplexer Wavelength Division Demultiplexer

A B

l1 l2 l3

Fibre
l1 + l2 + l3

l1 l2 l3

X Y

Multiple channels of information carried over the same fiber, each using an individual wavelength

Dense WDM is WDM utilizing closely spaced channels Channel spacing reduced to 0,4 nm and less Cost effective way of increasing capacity without replacing fiber
Commercial systems available with capacities of 32 channels and upwards; > 80 Gb/s per fiber

Sample DWDM Signal

Multiplexer Optical Output Spectrum for an 8 DWDM channel system, showing individual channels

DWDM Advantages and Disadvantages

DWDM Advantages
Greater fibre capacity Easier network expansion

No new fiber needed Just add a new wavelength Incremental cost for a new channel is low No need to replace many components such as optical amplifiers

DWDM versus TDM

DWDM can give increases in capacity which TDM cannot match
Higher speed TDM systems are very expensive

DWDM Standards
ITU Recommendation is G.692 "Optical interfaces for multichannel systems with optical amplifiers" G.692 includes a number of DWDM channel plans Channel separation set at:

50, 100 and 200 GHz equivalent to approximate wavelength spacings of 0.4, 0.8 nm

Channels lie in the range 1530.3 nm to 1567.1 nm (so-called C-Band)

Newer "L-Band" exists from about 1570 nm to 1620 nm Supervisory channel also specified at 1510 nm to handle alarms and monitoring

Optical Spectral Bands

ITU DWDM Channel Plan 0.4 nm Spacing (50 GHz)

All Wavelengths in nm
1528.77 1529.16 1529.55 1534.64 1535.04 1535.43 1540.56 1540.95 1541.35 1546.52 1546.92 1547.32 1552.52 1552.93 1553.33 1558.58 1558.98 1559.39

So called ITU C-Band 81 channels defined

1529.94
1530.33

1535.82
1536.22

1541.75
1542.14

1547.72
1548.11

1553.73
1554.13

1559.79
1560.20

1530.72
1531.12

1536.61
1537.00

1542.54
1542.94

1548.51
1548.91

1554.54
1554.94

1560.61

1531.51
1531.90 1532.29 1532.68 1533.07

1537.40
1537.79 1538.19 1538.58 1538.98

1543.33
1543.73 1544.13 1544.53 1544.92

1549.32
1549.72 1550.12 1550.52 1550.92

1555.34
1555.75 1556.15 1556.55 1556.96

Another band called the L-band exists above 1565 nm

1533.47
1533.86

1539.37
1539.77

1545.32
1545.72

1551.32
1551.72

1557.36
1557.77

1534.25

1540.16

1546.12

1552.12

1558.17

Speed of Light assumed to be 2.99792458 x 108 m/s

DWDM Components

DWDM: Typical Components Passive Components:

Gain equalization filter for fiber amplifiers Bragg gratings based demultiplexer Array Waveguide multiplexers/demultiplexers Add/Drop Coupler

Active Components/Subsystems:

Transceivers and Transponders DFB lasers at ITU specified wavelengths DWDM flat Erbium Fibre amplifiers

Transponder: an automatic device that receives, amplifies and transmits signals on different frequency.
A transceiver is a device that has both a transmitter and a receiver.

Bidirectional Transmission using WDM

Source: Master 7_4

Conventional (Simplex) Transmission

Most common approach is "one fibre / one direction"

This is called "simplex" transmission Linking two locations will involve two fibres and two transceivers

Transmitter

Receiver

Receiver

Transmitter

Local Transceiver

Fibres x2

Distant Transceiver

Source: Master 7_4

Bi-directional using WDM

Significant savings possible with so called bi-directional transmission using WDM This is called "full-duplex" transmission
Individual wavelengths used for each direction Linking two locations will involve only one fibres, two WDM mux/demuxs and two transceivers

Transmitter
Receiver

lA

WDM Mux/Demux A

lA

WDM Mux/Demux B

lB

Transmitter
Receiver

Local Transceiver

l B

lB

lA

Fibre

Distant Transceiver

Bi-directional DWDM
Different wavelength bands are used for transmission in each direction Typcially the bands are called:
The "Red Band", upper half of the C-band to 1560 nm The "Blue Band", lower half of the C-band from 1528 nm

Transmitter Transmitter

l1R

l1B

Transmitter Transmitter

l2R

l2B

Red Band
Transmitter

lnR

DWDM Mux/Demux

DWDM Mux/Demux

lnB

Transmitter

Receiver
Receiver

l1B l2B

Blue Band

l1R l2R

Receiver
Receiver

Fibre

Receiver

lnB

lnR

Receiver