chapter 1.7, Optical Waveguides and Fibers

from: Fundamentals of Photonics

Author(s): Chandrasekhar Roychoudhuri

Author(s): Ajoy Ghatak, K. Thyagarajan

Published: 23 May 2008

Chapter DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/3.784938.ch7

Chapter Page Count: 44 pages

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1.1. Nature and Properties of Light

1.2. Light Sources and Laser Safety

1.3. Basic Geometrical Optics

1.4. Basic Physical Optics

1.5. Lasers

1.6. Optical Detectors and Human Vision

1.7. Optical Waveguides and Fibers

1.8. Fiber Optic Telecommunication

1.9. Photonic Devices for Imaging, Display, and Storage

1.10. Basic Principles and Applications of Holography

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This module is an introduction to the basics of fiber optics, discussing especially the characteristics of optical fibers with regards to the fabrication of low-loss optical fibers and the room-temperature operation of semiconductor lasers in 1970. Within a brief span of 30 years, we are now in the fifth generation of optical fiber communication systems. Recent developments in optical amplifiers and wavelength division multiplexing (WDN) are taking us to a communication system with almost “zero” loss and “infinite” bandwidth. Optical fiber communication systems are now fulfilling the increased demand on communication links, especially with the proliferation of the Internet. This module tracks the evolution of these systems that are now so critical to our daily lives.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/3.784938.ch7