Optical communications

Chapter 7.3
Pham Quang Thai
Pqthai.hcmut@gmail.com

 WDM LAN
Passive Optical Access Networks
(PON)
Wide Area Networks

Time Division Multiplexing - SONET / SDH

Wavelength Division Multiplexing - WDM

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TDM

WDM

Single wavelength

Multiple wavelengths

Electronic TDM of
synchronous data

Data-rate and format

transparent

Electronic regenerator /
repeater

Optical amplifier

30-50 km repeater spacing

80-140 km amplifier spacing

Capacity upgrade: replace

repeater and electronic
devices
No accumulation of distortion
and noise

Capacity upgrade: add

wavelength at multiplexer /
de-multiplexer
Accumulation of distortion
and noise
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Two types of DWM: Coarse DWM

(CWDM) and Dense DWM (DWDM).
Wavelength spacing is specified in ITUGrid.

CWDM

DWDM

Wide channel spacing

(~20nm)

Narrow channel spacing

(~0.8nm)

Wavelength band O to L
(1.3 to 1.6 m)

Wavelength band C (1.5

m)

<16 channels per fiber

16-128 channels per

fiber

Wide Area Network: Wavelength

routing

Components of wavelength
routing networks: light path, OLT,
OXC and OADM

Light path

OXC

OADM

Optical line terminal (OLT): adapt

the signal from clients to network
and vice versa

Transponders: act as interfaces

Multiplexer: combine wavelengths
Amplifier: amplify signal (optional)

Optical Crossconnect (OXC): act as

network switches
Opaque: need E/O and O/E
conversion

Transparent: no conversion
Wavelength non-interchangeable
Wavelength interchangeable

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Wavelength noninterchangeable 1

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Wavelength noninterchangeable 1

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Wavelength noninterchangeable 3

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Wavelength noninterchangeable 4

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Wavelength
interchangeable 1

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Wavelength
interchangeable 2

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Multiplexer de-multiplexer: Array waveguide

grating (AWR) filters wavelengths based on
interference effect from different optical
path lengths

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Optical 1x2, 2x2 switches

Example:
1x2 liquid crystal switch:
change polarization
state of light through
liquid crystal by
changing electric field

2x2 electrooptic switch:

change light coupling
ratio by changing
refractive index with
electric voltage

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Optical switch: Space switch

(SW)
NxN

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Optical switch: Delivery and

Coupling switches (DC)
NxM
Gate switches can be used to further
reduce crosstalk

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Wavelength converter
Example:
Using cross gain modulation in SOA:
higher gain for 1 reduce gain for 2 and
vice versa

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Optical Add Drop Multiplexer

(OADM): provide pass-through
traffic

Opaque: with E/O and O/E conversion

Transparent: no E/O and O/E conversion

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Some common OADMs

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Some common OADMs

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Routing and Wavelength assignment:

select path and wavelength
Minimize blocking probability, network resources
and computational complexity

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Routing sub-problem

Alterna
te
routing

Adaptiv
e
routing

Simple

More complex

Extensive updating
routing tables

High blocking
probability

Lower blocking
probability

Lowest blocking
probability

Cannot handle fault

situation

Better fault tolerant

Better fault tolerant

Fixed
routing
Use pre-calculated
shortest path

Use several precalculated disjoint

paths

Update path
depending on the
network state

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Wavelength Assignment subproblem

First-Fit

Least
Loaded

Use first
available

Use largest
capacity in
most used fiber

Use in single
fiber networks

Use in multifiber networks

Very simple

Need networks
info.

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Example for chapter 7.3

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