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EE40130: Optical devices and communications systems

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2015/6
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: EX 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Exam (EX 100%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: EE40130 - Mandatory Extra Work (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To describe the fundamentals of optical (fibre) communications systems and key components.

Learning Outcomes:
After completing the unit the student should have a clear understanding of:
* the characteristics of the optical fibre;
* the basic principles of operation of optical communications systems and components;
* the design rules for (i) a high capacity trunk optical network, (ii) a metropolitan area fibre network and (iii) an optical local area network.

Skills:
Intellectual skills: basic maths, electromagnetic waves and semiconductor devices.

Content:
Overview of optical communications systems and basic components.
Semiconductor lasers: principles of operation; Fabry-Perot resonator. Qualitative review of optoelectronic sources: LEDs, Superluminescent LEDs, designs for monochromatic sources (DFB laser), Gain curve. Structures for single wavelength operation. Modulation response of lasers. Coupling of input signal to optical fibre.
Optical Transmitters: requirements for stable pulsed laser operation, relaxation oscillations, chirp, use of optical modulators.
Optical Receivers: principles of photodiode operation, requirements for high speed photodetection, optical design of PIN photodiodes, signal-to-noise performance of photo-receivers, simple relationship between bit error rate and receiver signal-to-noise performance.
Performance of Optical Fibre Links: power budget, fibre dispersion and timing budget, effect of chirp and polarisation on system bandwidth, requirements of (i) high data rate links, (ii) wavelength division multiplexing, (iii) optical networks.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

EE40130 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFM05 : MEng(Hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AKM05 : MEng(Hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)

EE40130 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFM13 : MEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AKM13 : MEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • UEEE-AFM01 : MEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AKM01 : MEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • UEEE-AFM14 : MEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AKM14 : MEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology with Year long work placement (Year 5)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2015/16 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2016/17 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2015/16.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.