Set No.

Code No: R05410403

IV B.Tech I Semester Supplimentary Examinations, March 2009

OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS
( Common to Electronics & Communication Engineering and Electronics &
Telematics)
Time: 3 hours
Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks

1. (a) Bring out the advantages of adopting optical fiber communications over other
form of communication system.
(b) What are the various elements of an optical communication system? Explain
the function of each element.
[8+8]
2. (a) What is absorption in optical fiber? Explain in detail the three types of
mechanisms of absorption in an optical fiber.
(b) Write notes on Scattering losses in fiber.

[8+8]

3. (a) Calculate the insertion loss of the connector when the power in the fiber is
100 w and the output power after the connector is 80 w.
(b) A multimode graded index fiber exhibits the pulse broadening of 0.2 s over
a distance of 15 Km. Estimate:
i. Optimum bandwidth of fiber
ii. Dispersion per unit length
iii. Bandwidth length product.

[8+8]

4. (a) A step index fiber has a core refractive index of 1.5 and a core diameter of 50
m. The fiber is jointed with a lateral misalignment between the core axes of
5 m. Estimate the insertion loss at the joint due to the lateral misalignment
assuming uniform distribution of power between all guided modes when:
i. There is a small air gap at the joint
ii. The joint is considered index matched.
(b) Write short notes on V-groove splices.

[8+8]

5. (a) Describe all the factors giving rise to losses while coupling optical power between any two devices of a fiber optic link.
(b) What is a pig-tailed device? List out the advantages and disadvantages of
pig-tailing either a fiber optic source or a fiber optic detector.
(c) Write expressions for power coupling from an LED into a step index fiber for
larger and smaller active area relative to the area of the fiber.
[5+5+6]
6. (a) Discuss if a quantity such as minimum incident photon energy is specified for
proper operation of a photodiode.
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Set No. 1

Code No: R05410403

(b) A PIN diode generates one electron-hole pair for three incident photons at
850nm wavelength. Calculate:
i. The quantum efficiency of the device if the entire photo generated electrons are collected at the detector terminals.
ii. The quantum efficiency of the device if the entire photo generated electrons are collected at the detector terminals.
iii. Minimum possible band gap energy of the detector material.
[6+10]
7. (a) Describe a procedure to determine the maximum allowed NRZ or RZ data
rate on a given fiber optic link.
(b) Estimate the maximum NRZ data rate allowed for transmission over an 8 Km
optical fiber link operating at 850nm wavelength specified below:
[10+6]
Source rise time
= 8ns
Inter-modal dispersion rise-time = 5ns/Km
Intra modal pulse broadening
= 1ns/Km
Detector rise-time
= 6ns.
8. (a) Enumerate the necessity of line coding of signals before transmission over
optical fibers?
(b) Differentiate between Source coding, channel coding and Line coding?
(c) Describe a method to measure chromatic dispersion in optical fibers?[4+6+6]

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Krishna Thota

Set No. 2

Code No: R05410403

IV B.Tech I Semester Supplimentary Examinations, March 2009

OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS
( Common to Electronics & Communication Engineering and Electronics &
Telematics)
Time: 3 hours
Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks

1. (a) Explain the field distribution for lower order modes in a symmetrical wave
guide.
(b) Explain mode theory for circular wave guide.

[8+8]

2. (a) Explain the following:

i. Mode field diameter
ii. Modal bire fringence.
(b) Explain the effect of bending to losses? What is micro bending? How it can
be reduced.
[8+8]
3. (a) Compare the optical parameters of free space with dispersive and non dispersive mediums.
(b) A butt jointed fiber convector used on multimode step index fiber with a core
refractive index of 1.42 and a relative refractive index difference of 1% has an
angular misalignment of 90 . There is no longitudinal or lateral misalignment
but there is a small air gap between the fibers in the convectors. Estimate the
insertion loss of the convector.
[8+8]
4. (a) Write short notes on Fiber Splices.
(b) A planar LED is fabricated from GAS which has a refractive index of 3.6.
i. Calculate the optical power emitted in to air as a percentage of internal
optical power for the device when the transmission factor at the crystal
air interface is 0.68.
ii. When the optical power generated internally is 50% of the electrical power
supplied, determine the external power efficiency.
[8+8]
5. (a) Derive an expression for power coupled from a surface emitting LED into a
step index fiber of acceptance angle,150 . Assume the source emission to be
Lambertian and its active area to be larger than the cross section area of the
core of the optical fiber. The air gap between the devices can be assumed to
be negligibly small. Make assumptions as per the requirement and state all of
them.
(b) Discuss about the losses encountered while coupling optical power from an
optical fiber into a fiber optic receiver.
[8+8]
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Set No. 2

Code No: R05410403

6. (a) Define quantum limit of a fiber optic receiver. What is the effect of detector
dark current on quantum limit?
(b) Describe briefly various sources of noise in a general fiber optic receiver. Identify the PIN receiver noise component that is dominant in receiver SNR computation.
[8+8]
7. (a) Discuss all the criteria to select the set of components sufficing design of a
fiber optic link.
(b) Describe the types of dispersion predominant in single mode and multimode
fiber optic links.
(c) Estimate the effect of such dispersion on system rise-time for above types of
fibers.
[6+5+5]
8. (a) Describe a method for measurement of Intermodal dispersion in optical fibers
with suitable setup.
(b) Describe how timing gitter , noise margin and best sampling time can be
estimated from eye patterns.
[8+8]

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Krishna Thota

Set No. 3

Code No: R05410403

IV B.Tech I Semester Supplimentary Examinations, March 2009

OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS
( Common to Electronics & Communication Engineering and Electronics &
Telematics)
Time: 3 hours
Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks

1. (a) Explain the following:

i. Total internal reflection
ii. Axial Numerical aperture in a graded index fiber.
(b) What is V-number in connection with optical fiber? What is its significance?
(c) A single mode step index fiber has a core diameter of 7 m and core refractive
index of 1.49. Estimate the shortest wavelength of light which allows single
mode operation when the refractive index difference for the fiber is 1%.
[4+4+8]
2. (a) Explain the following:
i. Mode field diameter
ii. Effective refractive index.
(b) A power of 3 dBm is available at the output of a fiber of length 14 km. If the
attenuation coefficient is 0.5 dB/m, determine the amount of power which
was coupled in to the fiber input.
[8+8]
3. (a) Calculate the insertion loss of the connector when the power in the fiber is
100 w and the output power after the connector is 80 w.
(b) A multimode graded index fiber exhibits the pulse broadening of 0.2 s over
a distance of 15 Km. Estimate:
i. Optimum bandwidth of fiber
ii. Dispersion per unit length
iii. Bandwidth length product.

[8+8]

4. (a) A step index fiber has a core refractive index of 1.5 and a core diameter of 50
m. The fiber is jointed with a lateral misalignment between the core axes of
5 m. Estimate the insertion loss at the joint due to the lateral misalignment
assuming uniform distribution of power between all guided modes when:
i. There is a small air gap at the joint
ii. The joint is considered index matched.
(b) Write short notes on V-groove splices.

[8+8]

5. (a) With the help of neat diagrams describe lens coupling mechanisms to improve
coupling efficiency from a fiber optic source.
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Set No. 3

Code No: R05410403

(b) Differentiate between Lambertian and monochromatic optical sources in terms

of power coupling into a single mode fiber.
(c) What is equilibrium numerical aperture? Explain the significance of equilibrium numerical aperture on source to fiber power coupling.
[6+5+5]
6. (a) Define quantum limit of a fiber optic receiver. What is the effect of detector
dark current on quantum limit?
(b) Describe briefly various sources of noise in a general fiber optic receiver. Identify the PIN receiver noise component that is dominant in receiver SNR computation.
[8+8]
7. (a) Describe a procedure to determine the maximum allowed NRZ or RZ data
rate on a given fiber optic link.
(b) Estimate the maximum NRZ data rate allowed for transmission over an 8 Km
optical fiber link operating at 850nm wavelength specified below:
[10+6]
Source rise time
= 8ns
Inter-modal dispersion rise-time = 5ns/Km
Intra modal pulse broadening
= 1ns/Km
Detector rise-time
= 6ns.
8. (a) Describe phase shift method for measurement of chromatic dispersion in optical fibers with the help of suitable schematics.
(b) Calculate Full width at Half Maximum(FWHM), 3-dB electrical and optical
bandwidths of an optical fiber whose output response is Gaussian in shape
with RMS pulse width given as:
i. 2ns
ii. 0.5ns.

[8+8]

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Krishna Thota

Set No. 4

Code No: R05410403

IV B.Tech I Semester Supplimentary Examinations, March 2009

OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS
( Common to Electronics & Communication Engineering and Electronics &
Telematics)
Time: 3 hours
Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks

1. (a) Explain what is meant by a graded index fiber giving an expression for possible
refractive index profile. Discuss the transmission of light through graded index
fiber.
(b) Explain different types of optical fibers in terms of refractive index profile,
cross sections and dimensions.
[8+8]
2. (a) Explain what is meant by:
i. Modal bire fringence
ii. The beat length in a single mode fiber
(b) A multi mode graded index fiber has a refractive index at the core axis of 1.46
with cladding refractive index of 1.45. The critical radius of curvature which
allows large bending losses to occur as 84 m, when the fiber is transmitting
light of a particular wavelength. Determine the wavelength of the transmitted
light.
[8+8]
3. (a) What is pulse broadening? Analyze pulse broadening in a graded index wave
guide.
(b) A certain optical fiber has attenuation of 3.5 dB/ Km at 850 nm. If 0.5 mw
of optical fiber is initially launched in to the fiber, what is the power level in
mw after 4Km?
[8+8]
4. (a) A step index fiber has a core refractive index of 1.5 and a core diameter of 50
m. The fiber is jointed with a lateral misalignment between the core axes of
5 m. Estimate the insertion loss at the joint due to the lateral misalignment
assuming uniform distribution of power between all guided modes when:
i. There is a small air gap at the joint
ii. The joint is considered index matched.
(b) Write short notes on V-groove splices.

[8+8]

5. Write short notes on the following:

(a) Radiation patterns of a Lambertian source with necessary equations.
(b) Radiation from a monochromatic source and power coupling into a fiber.[8+8]
6. (a) Define responsivity and quantum efficiency in relation to a fiber optic receiver.
Discuss if these parameters are dependent on the preamplifier and post amplifier circuitry of the receiver.
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Set No. 4

Code No: R05410403

(b) Compute the wavelength at which the numerical values of quantum efficiency
and responsivity of a photodiode operating at 820 nm wavelength become
equal.
Use the necessary physical constants listed.
Speed of light in vacuum =3 108 m/s
Electron charge
=1.602 1019 C
Plancks constant
=6.6256 1034 J-S
Boltzmans constant
=1.38 1023 J/K
(c) Describe the factors on which the speed of response of a photo diode depends.
[6+5+5]
7. (a) Explain various factors contributing to overall optical system rise time.
(b) Calculate the system rise time for a 6 Km fiber optic link of following specifications.
[10+6]
Rise time of the LED and its drive electronics
= 14ns
Material dispersion related rise time degradation = 21ns
Bandwidth of the optical receiver
= 25MHz
Bandwidth-distance product of the fiber
=400 MHz-Km
Mode mixing factor, q
= 0.7
8. (a) List the conditions under which cut-back method of measurement of fiber
attenuation yields more accurate values.
(b) Suggest a non-destructive method for measurement of fiber attenuation. Mention the principle behind this method.
(c) Output of a PIN detector preamplifier of an optical receiver for 1.6Km fiber
is 2.26 Volts at 820nm wavelength. The output of PIN preamplifier increases
to 9.06 Volts when this fiber is cutback to 4m length at the same wavelength.
Compute the total attenuation and attenuation per unit length (dB/Km) of
the cut-off fiber.
[5+5+6]

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Krishna Thota