2024 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Graduate major in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Optical Communication Systems
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Hiroyuki Uenohara
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- EEE.S461
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course explains the components for constructing a large capacity optical communication system, transmitter (intensity modulation, coherent modulation) performance, transmission system design (transmission limits due to fiber dispersion properties, transmission limits due to signal-to-noise ratio limits), long-haul transmission with optical amplifiers, multiplexing for large capacity transmission, optical switching, optical routing, etc.
The instructor will give an overview of not only the large capacity system backbone, but also the prospects for optical interconnection and next-generation networks, while interspersing examples.
Modulation technology used in optical communication systems has much in common with wireless transmission technology, such that knowledge from this course can be leveraged for broad applications. Transmission technology limits for optical signals is a field expanding its reach to within devices and inter-chip transmission, such that knowledge from this course can also be applied to related design technology.
The main technology for optical communication systems is an application based on optical properties of semiconductors in devices, and properties of optical fibers can be used for understanding electromagnetic wave analysis, and transmission by optical fibers can be used for understanding the frequency transfer function of a medium. Students will learn applications of the basic mathematical methods and knowledge learned in electrical and electronic engineering, and the methods and knowledge will also have versatile applications apart from those in optical communications.
Course description and aims
Students can acquire the fundamental skills of wide range of the optical fiber communication technologies as follows;
(1) Ability to explain various kinds of optical fiber communication systems and their differences
(2) Ability to explain the concept of polarization, and use knoledges of related optical devices
(3) Ability to use coding, modulation/demodulation, and detection technologies in simulation
(4) Ability to analize the limitation of transmission for optical fiber communication and distorsion compensation
(5) Ability to analyze the performance through bit error rate
(6) Ability to explain and use knowledges of optical amplifier and WDM technologies in simulation
(7) Ability to explain the difference between the optical coherent and IM-DD systems in terms of BER
Keywords
optical communication systems, optical signal modulation/demodulation, transmission, optical amplification, wavelength division multiplexing, optical switching
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
In the beginning of every class, the exercise problems from the previous class are explained. The instructor then lectures on the content for each class. In the second part of the class, students grapple with exercise problems for the relevant content. Do not neglect reviewing.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Optical Communication Systems (Fundamentals) | Carefully read and understand materials (class 1) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understand the fundamental information |
| Class 2 | Related Devices for Optical Communication Systems (1) | Carefully read and understand materials (class 2) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understand related devices (1) |
| Class 3 | Related Devices for Optical Communication Systems (2) | Carefully read and understand materials (class 3) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understand related devices (2) |
| Class 4 | Optical Modulation Codes & Intensity Modulation | Read through Text (Class 4) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understanding modulation code and generation of intensity modulation |
| Class 5 | Optical Modulation/Demodulation (Phase Modulation, QAM, etc.) | Read through Text (Class 5) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understand generation of phase modulation and QAM technologies |
| Class 6 | Digital Coherent Technologies | Read through Text (Class 6) on OCW-i before lecture, and understand digital coherent technologies |
| Class 7 | Optical Communication Systems (Long-Haul Transmission Systems) | Carefully read and understand materials (class 7) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understand long-haul transmission systems |
| Class 8 | Optical Communication Systems (Metro-Core Network, Access Network) | Read through Text (Class 8) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understand metro-core and access networks |
| Class 9 | Optical Communication Systems (Datacenter network) | Read through Text (Class 9) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understand optical network in datacenters |
| Class 10 | Optical Communication Systems (Optical Interconnection) | Read through Text (Class 10) on T2SCHOLA before lecture, and understand optical interconnection |
| Class 11 | Transmission (Dispersion, Dispersion Limit, Dispersion Compensation) | Read through Text (Class 11) on OCW-i before lecture, and understand dispersion, dispersion limit and compensation technologies |
| Class 12 | Bit Error Rate (Intensity Modulation/Direct Detection) | Read through Text (Class 12) on OCW-i before lecture, and understand BER for intensity modulation/direct detection |
| Class 13 | Bit Error Rate (Multi-Level Modulation, Optical Amplifier and Transmission Limit) | Read through Text (Class 13) on OCW-i before lecture, and understand BER for Multi-Level Modulation and optical amplifier systems |
| Class 14 | Bit Error Rate (Coherent Detection) | Read through Text (Class 14) on OCW-i before lecture, and understand BER for coherent systems |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Lectures are given based on materials created by the instructor. Materials are made available on T2SCHOLA in advance. Please get materials from the site that each lecturer inform you of.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Yasuharu Suematsu, Kenichi Iga, "Fundamentals of optical fiber communication", 5th edition, Ohm-sha, ISBN 978-4-274-22094-4
Mitsutoshi Hatori, Tomonori Aoyama, "光通信工学(1)(2)", Corona Pubnlishing Co., Ltd., ISBN 4339011436
Kenichi Kitayama, 『光通信工学』, Ohm-sha, ISBN 978-4-274-21306-9
"Fiber Optic Communication Systems", Govind P. Agrawal, Wiley-Interscience, ASIN B096LCTZF6
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students are evaluated on understanding of the structure of optical communication systems, modulation, transmission, and product quality evaluations.
Points are given for reports (80%) and exercises (20%).
Related courses
- EEE.S341 ： Communication Theory (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)
- EEE.S351 ： Signal System
- EEE.S361 ： Optoelectronics
- EEE.S411 ： Guided Wave Circuit Theory
- EEE.D461 ： Optoelectronics
Prerequisites
Students are requested to complete Fourier and Laplace Transform (EEE.M211), Electromagnetic Wave Theory I (EEE.E201), Optoelectronics(EEE.S361). Or they should have the comparative knowledge level about those theories.
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
Hiroyuki Uenohara uenohara.h.88ff[at]m.isct.ac.jp
Office hours
Please make an appointment through email