Optical Fibres

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Use a variety of information sources (lectures, web, journals) to understand & solve problems (in this case for optical fibre technologies)

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Understand nonlinear optical phenomena in optical fibres
• Understand the fundamentals of optical materials and recognise the importance of optical materials in fibre optics
• Appreciate the physics of propagation of light in optical fibres
• Appreciate a range of methods of fabrication and characterisation of optical fibres
• Appreciate various types of optical fibres and their key properties

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Appreciate the influence of materials upon the performance of optical fibres
• Understand the concept of nonlinear phenomena in dielectric fibres
• Make quantitative calculations of the properties of optical fibres based on the knowledge of their parameters and materials used
• Understand how key fibre parameters influence the fibre waveguiding properties

Part 1: Light propagation through optical fibres Overview of optical fibre technologies. Maxwell’s equations. The wave equation. Dispersion relations applied to fibre geometries. Optical fields in solid-core optical fibres (guided modes, single and multi-mode guidance). Signal guiding in ‘holey’ fibres. Part 2: Introduction to nonlinear optics in optical fibres Nonlinear susceptibility. Nonlinear wave equation. Nonlinear interactions (SHG and phase matching). Nonlinear fibre optics. Short pulse propagation in fibres (NLSE). Dispersion and nonlinearity (pulse solutions). Part 3: Materials for fibres and materials characterisation The glassy phase (introduction to crystalline and non-crystalline solids). Novel and multi-component glasses. Thermal analysis/stability of glasses. Optical fibre loss mechanisms. Material/Fibre characterisations (loss/microscopy/composition) Part 4: Fibre types, fabrication and characterisation Silica fibre basics (pure-silica core; germanosilicate; phosphosilicate; and aluminosilicate optical fibres). Specialty silica fibres (polarisation-maintaining; dispersion managed; highly-nonlinear; photosensitive; rare-earth doped etc.). Non-silica fibre basics (soft-glasses: tellurite, chalcogenide, fluoride; bismuth-oxide; polymers). Photonic bandgap fibres (solid core and hollow-core). Fabrication technology of low-loss silica-based optical fibres. Fabrication technology of non-silica optical fibres. Fibre characterisation (refractive index profile; optical-time-domain-reflectometry to measure fibre attenuation, uniformity, splice and connector losses; birefringence; dispersion etc.). Fibre reliability (ITU standards; fibre mechanical strength; fibre fuse; etc.).

The course consists of 3-4 lectures per week including a bi-weekly workshop/tutorial. Online lecture notes and self-study packs will be provided on Blackboard. - Learning activities include - Attending lectures, problems classes, and exam preparation

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.