Module:

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

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Module Title
Module Code	(ITS: EE454)
Faculty		School
NFQ level		Credit Rating

Description

To introduce the student to the main components of an optical communications system and to describe typical communication systems which employ optical techniques.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify the main parameters of laser diodes, optical fibre, and optical receivers that effect the performance of optical communications systems
2. Analyse the equations that explain the modulation of an optical carrier with electrical data signals and apply these equations to determine the maximum modulation rate that can be attained
3. Derive solutions for how non-linearity and dispersion affect the propagation of data signals in optical fibre, and apply these solutions to analyse the maximum data rate and transmission distance of optical transmission links
4. Determine the various parameters of an optical receiver that affect Bit-Error-Rate and eye diagrams, and identify how an eye-diagram may be used in quantifying system performance
5. Identify the different type of networking configurations that may be used in an optical network and analyse how component selection effects network design
6. Design a basic optical communication systems and analyse how it performance would be effected by the various components used in the system design
7. Implement a wavelength division multiplexed systems and formulate how altering the parameters of the components used would change system capacity
8. Operate all the main components required to develop a basic optical communication systems, and conduct experiments to develop and analyse an optical transmission system

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	33	Taught lectures
Assignment Completion	17	Written assignement for submission which counts as the CA part of this module
Laboratory	10	Time spent understanding lab manual and undertaking experimental work in the lab
Tutorial	3	Tutorial
Independent Study	120	Independent learning and studying
Total Workload: 183

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Undertake Lab work and submit an assignment based on the results of this lab work	20%	Week 1
Formal Examination	End-of-Semester Final Examination	80%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

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

Optical Communications System Design
Properties of Optical Fibres: fibre types; step-index and graded-index; monomode and multimode;. Lasers and Modulation Techniques: the laser diode; power spectrum; single-mode lasers; direct modulation; intensity modulation; frequency modulation; linearity; pulse modulation; coding an optical carrier. Signal Degradation and Coupling Efficiency: absorption; scattering; radiative losses; core and cladding losses; material dispersion; waveguide dispersion; intermodal dispersion; nonlinear effects; mode coupling; source-to-fibre power launching. Demodulation: photodiodes; construction; temperature effects; response time; direct detection; signal-to-noise ratio with direct detection of intensity modulated waves. Multiplexing: time-division multiplexing; limitations of TDM; wavelength division multiplexing; WDM using optical filters; cross-talk; radio-frequency subcarrier multiplexing. Fibre-Optic Networks: WDM networking, structure. Evolution to All-Optical Networks.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Gerd Keiser: 0, Optical fiber communications, Boston [etc.] McGraw-Hill 2000, 9780072321012
Govind P. Agrawal: 0, Fiber-Optic Communication Systems, Wiley, 600, 9780470505113
Christopher C. Davis: 0, Lasers and electro-optics, Cambridge [England] ; Cambridge University Press, 1996., 9780521484039
Rajiv Ramaswami, Kumar Sivarajan, Galen Sasaki: 0, Optical Networks, Morgan Kaufmann, 928, 9780123740922

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None