Module: Optical Components for Photonic Systems

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Optical Components for Photonic Systems
Module Code	EE602 (ITS) / EEN1012 (Banner)
Faculty	Engineering & Computing	School	Electronic Engineering
Module Co-ordinator	-
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None

Description

The purpose of this module is to introduce new PhD students working in the general optical communications field to all the components that are employed in building a photonics system. The module will introduce the operation of optical sources, detectors, amplifiers, modulators, and filters that are used in optical communications systems.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the underlying physics of the components that make an optical system and their roles and limitations
2. Describe the characteristics and performance of optical fibres and their impact on the overall system performance
3. Outline and be able to use the techniques and the technologies that make possible the modulation and demodulation processes in optical systems in order to achieve a required performance
4. Understand the nature of, and be able to use the performance metrics employed in system design, namely BER and S/N ratio
5. Analyse the limitations on system performance imposed by the nonlinear optical behaviour of fibres and be able to use the techniques for the mitigation of these effects
6. Describe the limitations of TDM systems in terms of components and performance, and the advantages of WDM systems and their limitations
7. Outline the concepts of fibre optic networks for TDM and WDM networks and the merits of an all optical fibre network
8. Simulate basic optical systems using design software

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	20	Course Lectures
Laboratory	5	Laboratory to undertake systems simulations
Assignment Completion	25	Completion of written assignment
Group work	15	Completion of laboratory report
Independent Study	60	No Description
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Topics
This module will focus on the main components that are used to build modern day optical communication systems. Specifically the course will focus on the following areas; - Laser diodes as optical transmitter - Electro-optical modulators including Mach-Zehnder and electro-absorption modulators - Optical amplifiers including fibre and semiconductor based optical amplifiers - Optical fibre transmission including the effects of dispersion and non-linearity - Optical receivers including pin and apd detectors - Coherent optical receivers - Optical filters including muxes and demuxes such as array waveguide gratings - Optical switches

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	0%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total
Course Work Breakdown
Assignment	The students will be required to write a detailed paper on a specific research topic that will require knowledge of the course content in addition to additional reading of relevant material on their specific topic	50%
Group laboratory	The students will undertake a laboratory to develop simulations of different optical communication systems and submit a report on the laboratory and results	50%

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category -

Indicative Reading List

John Gowar: 1993, Optical communication systems, 2nd, Prentice Hall, London, 978-0136387275
edited by Ivan P. Kaminow, Thomas L. Koch: 1997, Optical fiber telecommunications III, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 978-0123951700
Senior: 2008, Optical Fiber Communications: Principles and Practice (3rd Edition), 3, Prentice Hall, 978-013032681
Govind P. Agrawal: 2002, Fiber-optic communication systems, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 978-0471215714

Other Resources

None