Overall objectives:

1 - The "Optical Communications" curricular unit is a mandatory, an aggregating curricular unit, whose "learning outcomes" comprise the establishment of the fundamental concepts for the understanding and development of fiber optic communication systems. It provides the resolution of concrete practical problems with the respective practical application of these concepts in the laboratory, through projects in optical communications.
2 - The curricular unit addresses the fundamentals of transmission, amplification and switching in optical communications networks, presentation of various applications of optical fiber systems at national and international level, as well as the future developments expected in this area.
3 - The acquisition of skills in "Optical Communications" consists of four components: the theoretical, theoretical-practical, laboratory practice and the realization of two synthesis works on a theme in the area.

Syllabus:

1 - Introduction to optical communications. Historical development. Elements of an optical communications system.
2 - Propagation in optical fibers. Description of propagation through geometric optics. Characteristic parameters of optical fibers. Description of propagation through electromagnetic modal theory. Propagation modes. Step index fibers: multimode and singlemode. Gradual index fibers.
3 - Transmission characteristics in optical fibers. Operational parameters of optical fibers. Attenuation. Absorption losses in the material: intrinsic and extrinsic absorption. Scattering losses: linear (Rayleigh and Mie) and non-linear (Brillouin and Raman) scattering. Losses due to fiber curvatures. Dispersion: intramodal, intermodal and global dispersion.
4 - Optical fibers, cables, connections and couplers. Materials. Manufacturing techniques. Fiber optic cables. Connection of optical fibers by fusion and by connectors. Losses. Couplers.
5 - Methods of measuring optical fibers. Reference and Alternative Methods. Measurement of Spectral Attenuation. Dispersion Measurement. Measurement of the Refractive Index Profile. Cut-off Wavelength Measurement. Numerical Aperture Measurement. Measurement of the Modal Field Diameter. Optical Time Domain Reflectometry.
6 - Optical sources. Spontaneous emission and stimulated emission. Laser diodes. Light Emitting Diodes. Behavior with temperature.
7 - Photodetectors. Absorption. Responsivity. PIN photodetectors. Avalanche photodetectors (APD). Other photodetectors.
8 - Optical Amplification. Semiconductor amplifiers. Erbium-doped fiber optic amplifiers (EDFA). Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). Optical regeneration.
9 - Fiber Optic Communication Systems. Optical transmitters. Optical receivers. Analog transmission systems. Multiplexing schemes - temporal. Multiplexing schemes - wavelength. Dispersion management. Coherent systems.
10 - Submarine Communications. Introduction.Types of cables. Chain of amplifiers. Dispersion and non-linearity management. Transmission characteristics. System design. Transmission tests. Future of underwater communications.
11 - Other Themes. Optical access networks - FTTH. Applications in mainland Portugal and in Madeira. Future developments.

Literature/Sources:

John M. Senior , 2009 , Optical Fiber Communications: Principles and Practice , Prentice Hall
I. Kaminow, T. Li, A. E. Willner , 2008 , Optical Fiber Telecommunications V A, Fifth Edition: Components and Subsystems (Optics and Photonics , Academic Press
I. Kaminow, T. Li, A. E. Willner , 2008 , Optical Fiber Telecommunications V B, Fifth Edition: Systems and Networks (Optics and Photonics) , Academic Press
Michel J.F. Digonnet , 2001 , Rare-Earth-Doped Fiber Lasers and Amplifiers, Revised and Expanded , Marcel Dekker
Gerd Keiser , 2011 , Optical Fiber Communications, Fourth Edition , McGraw-Hill

Assesssment methods and criteria:

Classification Type: Quantitativa (0-20)

Evaluation Methodology:
Teaching Methodology: Theoretical lectures. Resolution of theoretical-practical exercises. Practical laboratory and simulation work. Two synthesis works with respective presentations. Evaluation: 2 Frequencies during the Semester: 30% of the final mark + 30% of the final mark. 2 Synthesis works: 12.5% of the final mark + 12.5% of the final mark. Laboratory and simulation practice: 5% of the final mark + 5% of the final mark + 5% of the final mark.