Course Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand the fundamentals of generating modulated optical signals for optical fiber communications using directly modulated lasers and external modulators (semiconductor lasers, LiNbO3 Mach-Zehnder modulators, intensity modulation, amplitude modulation, phase modulation, chirp).
2. Understand the fundamentals of electromagnetic wave propagation in dielectric slab waveguides and single-mode optical fibers (solution to Maxwell's equations, modes, propagation constant, attenuation and dispersion).
3. Understand the fundamentals of detecting modulated optical signals for optical fiber communications using p-i-n photodiode, avalanche photodiode, and EDFA pre-amplified receivers (shot-noise, APD multiplication noise, beat noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), bit error ratio (BER)).
4. Understand the similarities and differences between non-coherent and coherent optical fiber communication systems.
5. Be able to solve problems that relate to the generation of modulated optical signals (amplitude and phase) for optical fiber communications.
6. Be able to determine the propagation properties of dielectric slab waveguides and single-mode optical fibersBe able to assess the impact of dispersion on signal propagation.
7. Be able to evaluate the performance of basic optical fiber communication systems (SNR and BER).
8. Understand the operation of a vector network analyzer be able to perform S-parameter measurements of electrical devices and components.
9. Understand the operation of an optical spectrum analyzer to perform measurements of optical signals and amplified spontaneous emission noise.
10. Understand the operation of a BER analyzer to perform measurements of an optical fiber communications link.