COURSE TITLE: OPTICAL FIBRE COMMUNICATION

COURSE CODE: MTE 508

MOCK EXAM (OPEN-BOOK)

INSTURCTIONS: Answer All Questions, Each Question Carries 20 Marks

QUESTION 1:
a) Identify and discuss the three fundamental building blocks that constitute an optical
fibre link.
b) Draw, label and describe the block diagram of a typical fiber optic communication
system, discuss how the system will function.

QUESTION 2:
a) What are Optical Sources, and what electronic components and devices constitute optical
sources?
b) Using the basic elements of a fibre optic system, draw label & describe an analogue &
digital fibre optic receiver, Outline how the receiver functions

QUESTION 3:
a) Outline the difference between fibre optic cable and copper cable (i.e., coaxial cable)
regarding structural-design, function, merits & demerits, and applications. Provide
relevant diagrams to pin down your answers.
b) Explain the following terms as applied in optical fibre communication systems,
support your submissions with relevant illustrations:
i) Total Internal Reflection
ii) Single Mode & Multi Mode Fibre, State The Mathematical Model For The Step
Index Fibre And The Graded Index Fibre
iii) Optical Fibre Attenuation

QUESTION 4:

1
 a) Explain Plancks law of photon energy in fibre optics, state and explain any constant you
may use.
b) Design a fibre optic link of your choice, label and describe your design, thus explain how
your design will function
c) Given that, the source of a fibre link has an input power of 30W and the power delivered
by the detector is 30mW. Determine the value of attenuation on the link.

QUESTION 5:
Discuss the following Integrated Optical Devices deployed in optical fibre networks, show
appropriate diagram to solidify your discussions, give one application of each device:
Modulators, Filters, Injection Lasers,
a) Planar Waveguides
b) Beam Splitter
c) Directional Couplers (assuming the couplers made of identical fibers, show the
relationship between diverted powers P2 and P3 with reference to input power P(0)
d) Optical Switches
e) Optical Filters

QUESTION 6:
The signal at the end of any optical link is often highly attenuated, and so any receiver noise
should be as small as possible to ensure signal high fidelity at the receiver. Two sources of noise
characterized with PIN diode in an optical receiver are Shot Noise and Thermal noise.
a) Discuss the term Short Noise and state its Poisson process/expression ~ Gaussian,
explain each parameter in the expression, give the IS Unit of each parameter.
b) Discuss the term Thermal Noise and state its Gaussian process/expression, explain
each parameter in the expression, give the IS Unit of each parameter.
c) The noise temperature of an optical receiver is 270 oK. The receiver operates within a
bandwidth of 33KHz, terminated in a load of 9K. Compute the value of the thermal
noise that can be measured at the output of the receiver. State and explain any
constant and assumption(s) you make.

QUESTION 7:

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Discuss the following terms as applied in fibre optics, state any mathematical expressions and
provide appropriate illustrations to concretize your discussion:
i) Total Internal Reflection
ii) Refractive Index
iii) Numerical Aperture
iv) Types, causes and effects of attenuation in optical fibre networks

EXAMINER: DR. D. M. O. ADJIN

MARCH 2016