ENE 423

Selected Old Exams

1. When a LED has 2 V applied to its terminal, it draws 100 mA and produces 2 mW
of optical power. What is the LEDs conversion efficiency from electrical to
optical power?
Sol
n
P
elect.
= IV = 2 V x 100 mA = 200 mW
Conversion efficiency =
2
100% 100%
200
opt
elect
P
mW
P mW
= =1 %

2. A 10 km long optical communication system with an amplifier of gain 15 dB is
sending a signal of 0.9 mW to the receiver. The power reaching the receiver is
measured to be 50 W. Determine the fiber attenuation in the unit of dB/km if the
connector and splicing loss are 2.5 dB.
Sol
n

10
10
10log 0.9 30.46
50
10log 43.01
1
in
out
P mW dB
W
P dB
W

= =
| |
= =
|
\ .


43.01 30.46 2.5 15
out in
in
P P Losses Gain
P fiber attenuation connector and splicing losses Gain
fiber attenuation
= + +
= + + +
= + +

Therefore, fiber attenuation = -43.01+30.46+2.5-15 = 25.05 dB =
25.05
10
= 2.505 dB/km





3. A single mode SI and a multimode SI fiber, each having n1 = 1.47 and n2 = 1.45
are available for use in a 3-km communication link operating at 800 nm with a
light source of fractional bandwidth f = 937.5 GHz. Calculate the 3-dB optical
bandwidth for:
a) the single mode SI fiber
b) the multimode GRIN with equilibrium length = 5 km.
Sol
n

(a)
( )
( )
2
9 9
8
m g
3-dB
937.5 10 800 10
2nm
3 10
M 115 ps/(nm.km) and M 1.8 ps/(nm.km)
116.8 ps/(nm.km)
. . 116.8 2 3 700.8 ps
0.5
f 0.713 GHz
m g
opt
f
f
M M M
M l

t
t

A A
=

A = =

= =
= + =
A = A = =
= =
A


(b)

( )
( )
2
2
1
8
2
2
2 2
3-dB
1.47 1.47 1.45
453.5 ps/km
2 2 3 10 1.47
453.5 3 1360.5 ps
700.8 1360.5
1530.4 ps
0.5
f 0.327 GHz
1530.4
mm
mm
total m g mm
opt
n
l c
t
t
t t t t
A
| | | || |
A = = =
| | |

\ . \ .\ .
A = =
A = A + A + A
= +
=
= =







4. A guided light wave of 1 micron wavelength propagating along the z-axis in a
symmetric slab waveguide is given by:
15 7
0
( , , ) cos(2.397 )cos(1.885 10 2.253 10 ) E y z t E y t z = v/m
Calculate the value of the effective refractive index and reflected angle for this
guided wave.
Sol
n


0
15
8
15
7
6
7
1 1
( , , ) cos( ) cos( )
2
2 1.885 10
2 3 10
1 m
1.885 10
2
.
.
2.253 10
1 10 3.586
2
2.253 10
tan tan 89.9
2.397
eff
g g
eff
E y z t E hy t z
c
f
c
k n
v v
n
k
h
e |
t
e t

t

e t
|

|
t
|
u

=
= = =

= =

= = =

= = =
| |
| |
= = =
| |
\ .
\ .


5. A 70 km long fiber is formed by 4-km fiber sections that are spliced together to
form one single continuous fiber, for use between a transmitter (TX) and a
receiver (RX). The attenuation of the fiber is 0.5 dB/km. The splice joints
introduce a loss of 0.3 dB/splice. The input and output connector losses that are
used at the fiber terminal are rated at 1 dB each. The power launched from the TX
is 3 mW. Calculate
(a) the dBm value of this radiated power
(b) the power into RX in the unit of mW.
Sol
n

(a)
10
3
10log 4.771
1
mW
dBm
mW
| |
= =
|
\ .

(b)

( ) ( ) ( )
# of sections = 70/4 = 17.5 = 18
# of splices = 18-1 = 17
Total loss = Fiber attenuation + Splice loss + Connector loss
= 70 0.5 17 0.3 2 1 42.1 dB
Power at RX = 4.771 dB - 42.1 dB = -37.3
+ + =
-4
3 dBm = 1.84 10 mW


6. Find the highest modes of the propagating light in a 2-m thick slab waveguide
with n
1
= 2.34, n
2
= n
3
= 2.22 if a) = 900 nm and b) = 1310 nm
Sol
n


2 2
1 2
2 2
2 2
2
At 900 nm
2 2 2.34 2.22
3.288 3
0.9
At 1310 nm
2 2 2.34 2.22
2.259 2
1.31
d n n
m
m
m

=
=

= = =
=

= = =


7. Light is incident on a dielectric interface between media of reflective indices
1.654 and 1.485 at an angle of i relative to the normal. The incident wave
propagates in the medium of higher refractive index. For what angles of incidence
is the reflected power the same for both s- and p- polarizations? What is the
reflectance for those angles of incidence?
Sol
n

1
2
1
i
2
2
1 2
i
1 2
sin 63.87
At : 1
1.654 1.485
If 0, 0.289%
1.654 1.485
c
c s p
s p
n
n
R R
n n
R R
n n
u
u u
u

| |
= =
|
\ .
= = =
| |
| |
= = = = =
| |
+ +
\ .
\ .




8. A multimode SI fiber has a numerical aperture NA = 0.210, a cladding refractive
index n2 = 1.445, a core radius = 10 m, and a cladding radius = 150 m. If the
fiber is 5 km long and light source wavelength is 820 nm with spectral width = 10
nm, determine the amount of pulse spread of this fiber due to multimode
dispersion ONLY.
Sol
n


( )
2 2
1 2
2 2
1
8 1 1 2
2
8
0.21 1.445 1.46
5.052 10 s/km
. 5.052 10 5 252.6 ns
mm
NA n n
n
n n n
l cn
l
l
t
t
t

=
= + =

| |
A = =
|
\ .
| |
A = A = =
|
\ .


9. The modulation-frequency dependent loss in a 10 km fiber link is 3.456 dB at a
modulation frequency of 95.5 MHz. Calculate the maximum allowed rate for data
transmission through this fiber in digital NRZ modulation format.
Sol
n

( )
( )
( )
2
3
2
6
3
0.693
10
95.5 10
0.693
10
3 3
3
NRZ 3
( ) 10log
3.456 10log
89.12 MHz
0.707 89.12 63.01 MHz
R 2 126.01 Mbps
dB
dB
f
f
f
f
dB dB
opt
dB
elec
dB
elec
L dB e
e
f f
f
f

| |

|
\ .
| |

|
|
\ .

(
(
=
(

(
(
=
(
(

= =
= =
= =







10. The cut back method is applied to determine the fiber attenuation using a 2.5 mW
light source. The light intensity of 960 W is measured from the very end of the
fiber. Then, the same fiber is cut 3 km long from that measured end. If the fiber
attenuation, = 0.5 db/km, from the manufacturer is accurate, what would we
expect the light intensity out of the fiber at that cutting end to be if the input side
is untouched.
Sol
n


( )
( )
( )
10 02 01
10 02 01
02 01
3
01
10log /
/
10log /
0.5
3
/ 0.7079
960 W
1.356 10 W = 1.356 mW
0.7079
P P
dB km
l
P P
P P
P
o

=
=
= =


11. A 1.3 m wavelength LED radiates 3 mW of optical power at a drive current of
20 mA. Calculate the quantum efficiency q of this LED by giving an answer in %.
Sol
n


0
3 19 6
0
3 34 8
4 10 1.6 10 1.55 10
49.87%
10 10 6.63 10 3 10
IE Ihc
P
e e
Pe
Ihc
q q

q


= =

= = =














12. Determine the 3-dB electrical bandwidth for a fiber to transmit 25 radio stations
simulatnesouly each of 10 kHz baseband frequency using
a. RZ coded digital modulation at 10 bits/sample
b. NRZ coded digital modulation at 10 bits/sample
Sol
n


( )
( )
( )
3
3
3
3
3
( )
2 20 10 samples/s
Using 10 bits/sample, then
10 20 10 200 kbps
200 kHz/channel
There are 25 stations, therefore 200 25 5 MHz
(b)
100 kHz/channel
2
There are
s m
RZ dB
elec
dB
elec
NRZ
dB
elec
a
f f
R
R f
f
R
f

= =
= =
= =
= =
= =
( )
3
25 stations, therefore 100 25 2.5 MHz
dB
elec
f

= =


13. 1.3
140 f = 1775.2
() (f
3-dB
)
opt .

() (f
3-dB
)
elec .

() RZ modulation
() NRZ modulation
Sol
n
ps 5600 140 10 4
figures. the from ps/(nm.km) 4 M and 0 M have We
nm 10
10 3
) 10 3 . 1 ( 10 7752 . 1
.
. .
g m
8
2 6 12
2
= = A
= =
=

=
A
= A
A = A

t
c
f
l M


(f
3-dB
)
opt
= 0.5/At (f
3-dB
)
elec
= 0.35/At R
RZ
= 0.35/At R
NRZ
= 0.7/At
89.29 MHz 62.5 MHz 62.5 Mbps 125 Mbps
14. (f
3-dB
)
elec.
20
baseband 12 NRZ coded
digital modulation 12 bits/sample
Sol
n
f
s
= 2f
m
= 2 x 12 x 10
3
= 24 x 10
3
samples/s
We use 12 bits/sample R = 12 x 24 x 10
3
= 288 kbps
R
NRZ
= 2(f
3-dB
)
elec.
(f
3-dB
)
elec.
= 288 kps/2 = 144 kHz/channel
There are 20 channels; therefore, a required bandwidth
= 144 x 20 = 2880 kHz or 2.88 MHz

15. (a) An accidental damage on an optical fiber link causes the received optical
signal intensity at the terminal of the fiber to drop to half its original value.
Calculate the amount of reduction in electrical power at the receiver output,
APe, from its original value, Pe, before the occurrence of damage.
Sol
n

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
2 2
2 2
0.5
0.25
0.7
0.2
5
5
out in
opt opt
elec opt
out in
out in
op
elec elec
elec in out in
elec elec ele
t op
c
t
P P
P I P
P P
P P P P
P P =
=

=
A = =

(b) How many voice channels can be modulated onto a carrier at wavelength
800 nm? Assume a system bandwidth equal to 1% of the carrier frequency.
Sol
n

8
14
9
14 12
12
8
3
3 10
3.75 10 Hz
800 10
Bandwidth = 0.01 3.75 10 3.75 10 Hz
3.75 10 Hz
Number of channels = 9.375 10
4 10 Hz
c
f

= = =

16. (a) The power incident on a light detector is 100 W. Determine the number of
photons per second incident on the detector if the wavelength is 1550 nm.

Sol
n
(a)
34 8
9
19
14
19
100
100
1
6.63 10 3 10
1550 10
1.283 10
100
Number of photons = 7.793 10
1.283 10
P W
E J
t s
hc
E hf
E J
J
J

=
= =

= = =

=
=

(b) An electric field of the light is expressed by
14 6
8sin 2 (2.4 10 1.24 10 ) E t z t = V/m without any attenuation. Find the
free-space wavelength of this light. What kind of media is it traveling in?

Sol
n
(b)
( )
0
0
8
6
0 14
6 8
14
sin( )
2
2 3 10
1.25 10
2.4 10
2 1.24 10 3 10
1.55
2 2.4 10
E E t kz
n
k
c
n n
c
c
m
kc
n glass fiber
e
e
t e

e
t
e t

=
=
=

= = =

= = = =



17. (a) Compute the transmission loss in decibels at a water-to-air boundary.
2
2
1 2
1 2
1.33 1
0.02
1.33 1
1 0.98 0.088 dB
n n
R
n n
T R
| |
| |
= = =
| |
+ +
\ .
\ .
= = =


(b) If the light travels from medium1 (n
1
= 1.48) to medium2 (n
2
= 1.46), the
angle which makes the reflectance equals to zero is 44.61. The angle which
makes the reflectance equals to one is 80.57. Compute the reflectance if the
incident angle u
I
=60.
2 2 2 2
2 1 2 1
2 2 2 2
2 1 2 1
2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2
2 4
cos sin
cos sin
1.46 cos60 1.48 1.46 1.48 sin 60
1.46 cos60 1.48 1.46 1.48 sin 60
0.0148
2.19 10
i i
p
i i
n n n n
n n n n
R
u u

u u

+
=
+
+
=
+
=
= =


18. For a symmetrical slab waveguide, n
1
= 3.6 and n
2
= 3.55. The wavelength is
1300 nm. Find the thickness of the film if the ray angle is 85 for the TE3
mode.

Sol
n
2 2 2
1 2
1
1
2 2 2
1
0
3 0 1
3
sin cos
tan
cos
3.6 sin 85 3.55
3.6cos85
tan
3.6cos85
0.9857
tan 1.622
0.9857
tan 1.622 1.018
1.033
3
2 cos85
3
1.033
2 3.6cos8
n n d n
n
d
d
d
d
d d
n
d
u t u
u
t

| |
=
|
\ .

| |
=
|
\ .
| |
=
|
\ .
= =
| |
=
|
\ .
| | | |
= +
| |
\ . \ .
| |
= +
|

\ .
3
5.814
5
7.558 m d
=
=





19. (a) Find the core radius necessary for single-mode operation at 1320 nm of a
step-index fiber with n
1
= 1.48 and n
2
= 1.478
(b)What is the maximum acceptance angle of this fiber?
(c)If this fiber is used with a light wavelength of 1550 nm, is it still a single-
mode fiber? Show your work.
Sol
n


(a)
2 2
1 2
9
2 2
2
2.405 1320 10
6.569 m
2 1.48 1.478
a
V n n
a
t

=

s =

(b)
( )
2 2
0 max 1 2
1 2 2
max
sin
sin 1.48 1.478 4.411 deg (0.077 rad)
n n n o
o

=
= =

(c)
2 2
1 2
-1
2
2.405 for a single-mode fiber.

Therefore, it is still a single-mode fiber for =1550 nm.
a
V n n
V
t

= s


20. The critical length L
c
of a multimode GRIN fiber is 5 km. This fiber has n
1
=
1.49 and n
2
= 1.45. The light source is an InP LED with a quantum efficiency
of 0.8. Compute the highest data rate for sending NRZ data for 3 km long.
Assume that waveguide dispersion M
g
= 0.
( )
0
5
0
max
0
max

1.24
1.24
1.35 8.62 10 300
0.901 m
( )
3.3 0.901 3.3 0.0259
( ) 1.3759
0.056 m 56.0 nm
From the graph, at 0.901 m, 70 ps/(nm.km)
70 56 3920 ps/km
392
g
ph
ph
m
E kT
E
E
kT
E
M
l

t
t

=
+
=
+
=
A A
=

A = =
A = =
= =
| |
A = =
|
\ .
A =
( )
1 2
1
2
1
2 2
0 3 11760 ps 11.76 ns
1.49 1.45
0.0268
1.49
1.784 ns/km
2
1.784 3 5.351 ns
11.76 5.351 12.92 ns
0.7
54.18 MHz.
12.92 ns
mm
tot
NRZ
n n
n
n
l c
R
t
t
t
= =

A = = =
| |
A = A =
|
\ .
A = =
A = + =
= =

21.
(a) A fiber system operates at the SONET OC-768 rate. Compute the number
of digitized voice message that could theoretically be transmitted
simultaneously by using time-division multiplexing. According to the SONET
transmission table, the maximum number of voice messages in an actual OC-
768 system is 516,096. Why is this less than the number you have calculated?
Sol
n

OC-768 rate = 39,813.12 Mbps.
Number of voice channels is (39,813.12 Mbps)/(64kbps) = 622,080.
The actual number of channels is less than the calculated one due to
the signaling and synchronization.
(b) A fiber optic receiver has a sensitivity of -38 dBm. The transmitter
produces a power level of 4 dBm. What are the allowed system losses in dB?
What are these losses caused by?
Sol
n

Loss = Pr

Pt = -38 4 = -42 dB.
These losses are caused by inefficient coupling from the transmitter
into the fiber, by connector and splice losses, and by losses in the fiber itself.

22.
(a) Light is traveling in air strikes a glass as shown in the figure below. Part of
the beam is reflected and part is refracted. If the refracted and reflected beams
make an angle of 90 with each other, what is the refractive index of the glass?
What is the critical angle for this glass?

Sol
n

1 1 2 2
2
1
sin sin
sin57
1.54
sin33
1
The critical angle of glass, sin 40.49
1.54
c
n n
n
u u
u

=

= =

| |
= =
|
\ .






(b) Prove that
f
f

A A
=
.
1 2
2
and assume that
c
f f f
df c f
d
f
f

= ~
= =
A A
=


23.
(a) Consider a symmetric-slab waveguide with a thickness d = 10 mm and n
1

= 1.49. Let the medium above and below the slab be air. Let the
wavelength be 10 mm, what is the critical angle for the slab waveguide?
How many angles of incidence which lights can travel in this waveguide?
1
2 2
2 1 2
1
sin 42.16
1.49
2
2 1 1.49 1 2.98
1 2 1 3
c
d n n
m
N m
u

| |
= =
|
\ .

= = =
= + = + =


(b) Determine the normalized frequency at 820 nm for a step-index fiber
having a 25 micron core radius, n
1
= 1.48 and n
2
= 1.46. How many modes
propagate in this fiber at 820 nm?
( )
2 2
1 2
6 2 2
9
2 2
2
2 25 10 1.48 1.46
46.45
820 10
46.45
1078
2 2
a n n
V
V
V
N
t

=

= =

= = =




24. A silica multimode SI fiber has core and cladding refractive indices of 1.46
and 1.459, respectively. Compute the maximum RZ rate of this 8 km long
fiber if the source emits at 1550 nm and has a linewidth of 120 nm. This fiber
has an equilibrium length of 5 km. Waveguide dispersion can be neglected.
Sol
n
( )
( )
4
0
3
4
3
1 1 2
8
2
0.095
4
0.095 1300
1550 18.6 ps/(nm.km)
4 1550
/L 18.6 120 2232 ps/km = 2.232 ps/km
2.23 8 17.86 ps
( ) 1.46(1.46 1.459)
/L 3.336 ns/km
3 10 1.459
dis
dis
mm
mm e
M
M
n n n
cn
LL

t
t
t
t t
| |
=
|
\ .
| |
= =
|
\ .
A = =
A = =

A = = =

A = A( )
2 2
RZ
/L 5 8 3.336 21.09 ns
17.86 21.09 27.64 ns
0.35
R 0.01266 Gbps 12.66 Mbps
mm
total
total
t
t
= =
A = + =
= = =
A


25. Find the central wavelength and the linewidth of an InP LED with a quantum
efficiency of 0.8.
( )
0
5
0
max
0
max
1.24
1.24
1.35 8.62 10 300
0.901 m
( )
3.3 0.901 3.3 0.0259
( ) 1.3759
0.056 m 56.0 nm
g
ph
ph
E kT
E
E
kT
E

=
+
=
+
=
A A
=

A = =
A = =




26. (a) Figure 1 shows the basic blocks of a conventional telecommunication
system, you are asked to extend them into details for an optical
communication system.

Figure 1

(b) What happened to the pulses in Figure 2(b) and 2(c)? Explain.


After travelling to some distance, dispersion
occurs and it causes the width of pulses to be
spread in time.





Figure 2
Transmitter Information Channel Receiver
Source of
Information
Users
27. (a) An LED emits 3 mW. Compute the dBm value of this radiated power. This
power travels through a 40 km silica fiber, ten splices, and two connectors
before going to the receiver. The fiber attenuation is 0.2 dB/km. Each
connector and each splice point have losses of 3 dB and 0.1 dB, respectively.
Compute the output power.
Sol
n

( ) ( ) ( )
10
out
10.23/10
out
3 mW 10log 3 4.771 dBm
Total loss Fiber loss + splice loss + connector loss
40 0.2 10 0.1 2 3 15 dB
P 4.771 dBm 15 dB 10.23 dBm
P 10 0.0948 mW

= =
=
= + + =
= =
= =


(b) If an electric field can be written as
0
sin( )
z
E E e t kz
o
e

= where E
0
=
peak amplitude, o = attenuation coefficient, = angular frequency of light, t =
time, k = propagation constant, and Z is the travelling distance of the light. Prove
that the power reduction in dB for a length Z = L can be expressed as
( )
10
10log exp 2 dB L o =
Sol
n

Intensity is proportional to the square of electric field.
( )
2
2 2
0
2
2
10 10
0
10
0
10log 10log
10log exp 2
sin( )
z L
L
z
E
e e
E
E
e
E
dB L
E E e t kz
o o
o
o
o
e

= =
=
=
=





28. Consider a slab waveguide with a thickness d = 10 m and refractive index n1
= 1.50. Let the medium above and below this slab be air and the wavelength
be 1.55 m.
I. What is the critical angle for this slab waveguide?
II. How many angles can light be travelling in this waveguide?
III. What will happen to the number of angles if the thickness d increased?
Explain.

Sol
n

I.

1
1
sin 41.81
1.5
c
u

| |
= =
|
\ .

II.

2 2
,
1 2
2
2
10
2 1.5 1 14.43 14
1.55
14 1 15
m c
d m
n n
m
N

| |
=
|
\ .

| |
= = =
|
\ .
= + =

Since each mode has its own angle, there are 15 angles being able to travel in
this waveguide.
III. If the thickness decreases, the number of modes will be decreased.
Therefore, the number of angles will be decreased as well.











29. Draw the polarization of the output light for following input below:
- PZ fiber



None



- PM fiber








- Conventional fiber













30. A step-index fiber with a core diameter of 7 m and a cladding refractive
index of 1.482 m is known to be single mode at a wavelength of 1.32 m.
I. What is the range of possible values for the core refractive index?
II. How many modes will the fiber support at a wavelength of 1.58 m?
III. Repeat II. if the wavelength is 0.73 m.

Mode chart of a SI-fiber of problem 5.

Sol
n

2 2
1 2
2 2
1
2 2
1
2 2
1
2
1
1
2 1
2 2
2
( )
2 3.5
2.405 1.482
1.32
0.1444 1.482
0.0208 1.482
2.217
1.4849
Therefore, 1.489
2 7
( ) 1.489 1.482
1.58
2.007 This implies 'a single-mode' fiber.
(c) 4.35 From
a
a V n n
n
n
n
n
n
n n
b V
V
V
t

t
t
=

=
=
=
=
=
< s

=
=
= a graph, there are 4 modes supported by this fiber at =0.73 m.

31. The equilibrium length of a multimode fiber is 2 km. The pulse spread due to
multimode dispersion is 20 ns/km. The light source emits at 840 nm and has a
spectral width of 75 nm. Compute the maximum RZ rate for a 4-km long
communication system of this fiber.
Sol
n

( ) ( )
( )
( )
m
g
. .
ps
From figure at = 840 nm, M 100
nm.km
ps
and M 2.2
nm.km
100 2.2 75 7665 ps/km
7665 4 30, 660 ps 30.66 ns
. .
4 2 20
56.57 ns
dis m g m g
dis
dis
mm e
mm
total m
M M l
l
l l
l
t t t

t
t
t
t
t t t
A = A + A = + A
=
=
| |
A = + =
|
\ .
A = = =
| |
A = A
|
\ .
=
=
A = A + A
( )
2
2
2 2
9
30.66 56.57 64.34ns
0.35 0.35
5.440 Mbps
68.33 10
g mm
RZ
R
t
t

+ A
= + =
= = =
A