Transmission Characteristics of Optical Fiber

Communication
Losses in Optical Fiber Communication
• Attenuation

• Absorption.

• Scattering.

• Bending Losses.

• Dispersion.
ATTENUATION:
• Attenuation is the Ratio of input (Transmitted) Optical power
into the fiber to output (Received) Optical Power from the
Fiber.

• Signal attenuation within optical fibers is usually expressed in

the logarithmic unit of the decibel.
• The decibel, which is used for comparing two power levels.
• Number of decibels (dB) = 10 log Pi/Po
Continue..
• In optical fiber communications the attenuation is usually
expressed in decibels per unit length- (i.e. dB/ km) .

• α dBL = 10 log Pi/Po

Where α dB is the signal attenuation per unit length in decibels .

L is the fiber length.
Optical fiber attenuation vs. wavelength
ABSORPTION:
• Absorption loss is related to the material composition and fabrication
process of the fiber.
• Absorption loss results in dissipation of optical power as a Heat in the
fiber cable.
• The amount of absorption by these impurities depend on their
concentration and light wavelength.
• Absorption is caused by two different mechanism.
1. Intrinsic Absorption
2. Extrinsic Absorption

• Intrinsic Absorption occurs when material is in Absolutely pure state .

• Its basic material structure in the near-infrared region.
• It have two major intrinsic absorption mechanisms at optical
wavelengths which leave a low intrinsic absorption window over the 0.8
to 1.7 nm wavelength range.
Continue..
• Extrinsic absorption occurs due to electronic transition
between the energy level.
• Another major extrinsic loss mechanism is caused by
absorption due to water (as the hydroxyl or OH ion) dissolved
in the glass.
SCATTERING LOSSES:
• Scattering losses occurs in optical fibers due to microscopic
variation in the material density and composition.
• from structural in-homogeneties or defects occurring during
fiber manufacture.
• Scattering are classified into two types:
1. Linear Scattering
2. Non Linear Scattering

• Linear Scattering mechanism: It causes the transfer of some

or all of the optical power contained within one propagating
mode to be transferred linearly into a different mode.
• All linear process there is no change of frequency on
scattering.
Continue..
• Linear scattering are categorized into two major types:
1. Rayleigh scattering 2. Mie scattering
• Rayleigh scattering : In this process, atoms or other particles
within the fiber absorb the light signal and instantly re-emits
the light in another direction.
• In this way Rayleigh scattering appears very much like
absorption but it absorbs and redirects the light so quickly
that is considered scattering.
Continue..
• The Rayleigh scattering formula is given by:
8𝜋3 𝑛8𝑝2𝛽𝑐ΚΤ𝑓
• 𝛾𝑅 =
3𝜆4
• Where γ_R is Rayleigh scattering coefficient.
• λ is optical wavelength and η is the refractive index of the medium
• p is average photoelastic coefficient
• βc is isothermal compressibility at a fictive temperature TF
• k is Boltzmann’s constant
• Mie scattering: Imperfections caused due to inhomogenities at the
core- cladding interface which causes scattering of light.
• The scattering created by such inhomogenities is mainly in the
forward direction and is called Mie scattering.
• It can be reduced by removing imperfections of glass at the time of
manufacture, increasing the relative refractive index of the core and
the cladding.
Continue..
• Non Linear Scattering Losses: This non linear scattering
causes the optical power from one mode to be transferred in
either the forward or backward direction to the same, or
other modes, at a different frequency.
• Non Linear scattering may be categorized as:
1. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS)
2. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS)
• Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS): In SBS strong optical
signal generates acoustic waves. These waves produce
variations in refractive index.
• It causes light waves to scatter in backward direction towards
transmitter called as backward scatter wave which affects the
forward signal leading to depletion in signal power.
• Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS): SRS is transferring of
energy from short wavelengths to neighbouring high
wavelength channels.
BENDING LOSSES
• Losses due to curvature and losses caused by an abrupt
change in radius of curvature are referred as Bending Loss.
• The Sharp bend of a fiber causes significant radiative losses
and Mechanical Failure.
• There are Two types of Bending:
1. MACRO Bending.
2. MICRO Bending.
• MACRO Bending : Complete fiber undergoes bends which
causes certain modes not to be reflected and loss to the
cladding.
• MICRO Bending : MICRO bending occurs when non-uniform
lateral pressures of fiber surface the core or cladding
undergoes slight bends at it surface.
• It causes light to be reflected at angle when there is no
reflection.
Continue..
DISPERSION
• Dispersion is the spreading of light pulse as its travels down the
length of an optical fiber.
• Dispersion limits the bandwidth or information carrying capacity of
a fiber.
• There are three main types of dispersion in a fiber:
1. Modal Dispersion.
2. Material dispersion.
3.Waveguide dispersion.
 MODAL DISPERSION (Intermodal (Modal) dispersion ):
• The spreading of light is called modal dispersion.
• Each Mode has slightly different path to receiver.
• Modal dispersion occurs only in Multimode fibers
• Intermodal Dispersion (also Modal Dispersion) can be minimized by:
• Using a smaller core diameter
• Using graded-index fiber
• Use single-mode fiber
Continue..
 INTRAMODAL DISPERSION:
• Intramodal dispersion occurs due to the differing propagation
delays of different wavelengths of light within a single mode (intra-
modal)
• Caused by material dispersion and waveguide dispersion

 MATERIAL DISPERSION:
• Index of refraction changes according to the wavelength.
• Each wave changes speed differently, each is refracted differently.

 WAVEGUIDE DISPERSION:
• R.I change across waveguide means different wavelength have
different delay.
• The energy travels at slightly different velocities in the core and
cladding because of the slightly different refractive indices of the
materials.