WDM OPTICAL NETWORKS
(EC-18312)
Lecture 4
Evolution of WDM Optical Network
20 Feb. 2025
Overview
• Enabling Technologies for WDM Optical
Networks
• Evolution of WDM Optical Network
– WDM Point-to-point Link
– Wavelength Add/Drop Multiplexer
– Wavelength cross connect
Enabling Technologies for WDM Optical Networks
• WDM optical networking is enabled by a range of technologies.
– Extremely high-bandwidth (25-THz),
– Low-attenuation-loss (e.g., 0.2 dB/km in the 1550 nm band)
– Single-mode optical fiber (for long distance transmission)
• EDFAs: Provide optical amplification of all the wavelengths at
the same time to compensate for power loss in optical signal
transmission.
• Conventional (C-band) EDFAs: Amplify signals in the range
1530-1562 nm.
• Long-wavelength (L-band) EDFAs: Amplify signals in the
wavelength range 1570-1610 nm and will be the next
generation of EDFAs.
• A combined (C+L)-band EDFA: Can provide 10 THz of
bandwidth.
• Raman amplifiers: Amplify signals from 1270 to 1670 nm to
further increase the capacity of optical fibers.
Enabling Technologies for WDM Optical Networks
• Sources: Semiconductor lasers.
• The most commonly used light sources :
– Distributed Bragg reflectors
– Distributed feedback lasers
• Tunable optical sources
– mechanically tuned lasers
– electro-optically tuned lasers
– injection current tuned lasers
• Two recently developed sources: Array sources and
Switched sources.
• These lasers differ in two aspects:
– Tuning range: The range of wavelengths over which the laser
may be operated
– Tuning time: The time required for the laser to tune from one
wavelength to another
Enabling Technologies for WDM Optical Networks
• Semiconductor lasers with a tunable range of 40nm are
becoming commercially available.
• Transmitters: Require the capability to tune to different
wavelengths.
• Tunable filters: Allow splitting and combining of the
available wavelength band into several individual
wavelength channels.
• The following tunable filters are commercially available:
– Fabry-Perot filters
– Fiber Bragg grating filters.
• The switching times of electromechanical optical switches
are now typically between a few and tens of milliseconds.
Enabling Technologies for WDM Optical Networks
• MEMS (Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems)
technologies: In the very near future it will be possible to
realize high-performance, low-cost optical components
(such as optical switches, tunable lasers, variable optical
amplifiers, add/drop multiplexers, and crossconnects)
using MEMS technologies .
• MEMS Devices: These are miniature structures fabricated
on silicon substrates in a similar manner to silicon ICs.
However, unlike electronic circuits, these are mechanical
devices.
• Optical MEMS switches: Built using several micro mirrors
on silicon substrate.
• Commercial PIN (p-type, intrinsic, n-type) photodetectors
and avalanche photodetectors provide bit rates of 10
Gb/s and higher at the receiver.
Evolution of WDM
Optical Network
WDM Point-to-point Link
• WDM point-to-point links are being deployed by
several telecommunication companies due to the
increasing demands on communication bandwidth.
• As shown in the figure, the capacity of the fiber link
A → B is doubled.
• These links are more cost-effective compared to
installing new fiber.
Wavelength Add/Drop Multiplexer
• While WDM point-to-point links provide very large
capacity between two widely spaced (e.g., 300 to
600 km) end points, in many networks it is
necessary to drop some traffic at intermediate
points along the route between the end points.
• Using a wavelength add/drop multiplexer (WADM),
which can be “inserted” on a fiber link, one can
add/drop necessary traffic (wavelengths) at the
WADM location.
• A WADM can be realized using a demultiplexer, 2 ×
2 switches (one switch per wavelength), and a
multiplexer.
Wavelength • If a 2 × 2 switch (S1 in
Add/Drop the figure) is in “bar”
state, then the signal
Multiplexer on the corresponding
wavelength passes
through the WADM.
• If the switch (S0 in the
figure) is in “cross”
state, then the signal
on the corresponding
wavelength is
“dropped” locally, and
another signal can be
“added” on to the
same wavelength at
this WADM location.
Wavelength Crossconnect
• In order to build a flexible multipoint WDM optical
network, we need another optical network element
called a wavelength crossconnect (WXC).
• Functionally, WADM and WXC are quite similar,
differing mainly in the number of input fibers that
need to be handled.
• The function of each element is to provide, under
network control, the ability to connect (switch) any
input wavelength channel from an input fiber (port)
to any one of the output fibers (ports) in optical
form or to drop a channel.
Wavelength Crossconnect
The figure shows a 2 × 2 wavelength crossconnect which can be
realized by demultiplexers, optical switches, and multiplexers.
Conclusion
• This Lecture:
WDM Optical Networking Evolution
– WDM Point-to-point Link
– Wavelength Add/Drop Multiplexer
– Wavelength cross connect
• Next Lecture:
WDM Optical Network Architectures
– Broadcast-and-select networks
– Wavelength routed networks
– Linear light wave networks
Thank you
