Optical amplification and sensing
Code 143II
Credits 9
Learning outcomes
Objectives
This course, which is composed of two parts, after providing the necessary fundamentals on optical components, will overview the most commonly used optical amplification and optical fiber sensor technologies. The course will also provide a hands-on laboratory module, where students will learn how to work and carry out experiments with optical amplifiers and components
Optical amplification has been one of the most important enabling technologies in communications during last years, which has allowed for the extraordinary increase in capacity and transmission distance underlying the present worldwide development of Internet and network-based services.
In the last few years a new sector is emerging, which is related to fiber-optic sensors, where optical and fiber-optic components are used for sensing of several physical, chemical and environmental parameters, finding manifold applications over a wide range of domains, from electric, electronic and nuclear engineering, to civil engineering and to energy-related sectors.
Syllabus
Optical amplification and fiber-optics sensing
- Fundamentals on light sources for optical communications: rate equations in semiconductors and the light emitting diode, LED, optical feedback, the LASER, multi-mode and single-mode lasers
- Photodiodes: pin and avalanche photodiodes
- Passive components: optic al fiber, coupler/splitter, Mach-Zehnder interferometer, optical filter technologies, tuneable filters, multiplexer/ de-multiplexer
- Non-reciprocal devices: isolator and the circulator
- Optical amplifier basics: stimulated emission and optical amplification, basic amplifier features, gain, noise figure, saturation power
- Overview of distributed and discrete amplifiers: Raman and Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), parametric processes and parametric amplification
- Optical fiber sensors: introduction to fiber-optics sensing, distributed Raman and Brillouin sensors, fiber-Bragg grating sensors
Laboratory of photonic amplification and components
- Using a power meter, using a pin photodiode and an avalanche photodiode
- Measurements of wavelength-independent parameters in optical passive components
- Using the optical spectrum analyser in optical component measurements
- Characterising a laser
- Measurements of amplifier gain and saturation
- The amplifier optical noise figure: measurement basics
- Characterizing an EDFA
- Component linewidth characterisation: optical homodyne and heterodyne measurements
- Dynamic measurement with an oscilloscope and electric spectrum measurements
Course structure
9 credits consisting in teaching and exercises. The final exam will be a written exam.
This course, which is composed of two parts, after providing the necessary fundamentals on optical components, will overview the most commonly used optical amplification and optical fiber sensor technologies. The course will also provide a hands-on laboratory module, where students will learn how to work and carry out experiments with optical amplifiers and components
Optical amplification has been one of the most important enabling technologies in communications during last years, which has allowed for the extraordinary increase in capacity and transmission distance underlying the present worldwide development of Internet and network-based services.
In the last few years a new sector is emerging, which is related to fiber-optic sensors, where optical and fiber-optic components are used for sensing of several physical, chemical and environmental parameters, finding manifold applications over a wide range of domains, from electric, electronic and nuclear engineering, to civil engineering and to energy-related sectors.
Syllabus
Optical amplification and fiber-optics sensing
- Fundamentals on light sources for optical communications: rate equations in semiconductors and the light emitting diode, LED, optical feedback, the LASER, multi-mode and single-mode lasers
- Photodiodes: pin and avalanche photodiodes
- Passive components: optic al fiber, coupler/splitter, Mach-Zehnder interferometer, optical filter technologies, tuneable filters, multiplexer/ de-multiplexer
- Non-reciprocal devices: isolator and the circulator
- Optical amplifier basics: stimulated emission and optical amplification, basic amplifier features, gain, noise figure, saturation power
- Overview of distributed and discrete amplifiers: Raman and Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), parametric processes and parametric amplification
- Optical fiber sensors: introduction to fiber-optics sensing, distributed Raman and Brillouin sensors, fiber-Bragg grating sensors
Laboratory of photonic amplification and components
- Using a power meter, using a pin photodiode and an avalanche photodiode
- Measurements of wavelength-independent parameters in optical passive components
- Using the optical spectrum analyser in optical component measurements
- Characterising a laser
- Measurements of amplifier gain and saturation
- The amplifier optical noise figure: measurement basics
- Characterizing an EDFA
- Component linewidth characterisation: optical homodyne and heterodyne measurements
- Dynamic measurement with an oscilloscope and electric spectrum measurements
Course structure
9 credits consisting in teaching and exercises. The final exam will be a written exam.