A quick course in fiber optics
Martin Rowe, Senior Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 10/1/2006
Fiber Optic Essentials, Casimer DeCusatis and Carolyn J. Sher DeCusatis, Academic Press (books.elsevier.com), 2006. 271 pages. $49.95.
Fiber Optic Essentials lives up to its name. In fewer than 300 pages, you will learn about the fundamentals of fiber optics, from the fiber itself to the transmitters and receivers to the design of FO systems. You’ll also get a brief exposure to network protocols and to fiber-optic applications outside of communications, such as medical imaging.
The authors pack a tremendous amount of information into the first three chapters without overwhelming you. By the time you finish chapter 1, you’ll have a grasp of how light travels through fibers and why connectors and proper alignment are important. You’ll also learn about waveguides, single-mode fiber, multimode fiber, and plastic fiber.
After reading chapters 2 and 3, you’ll have an understanding of transmitters and receivers. You’ll learn how LED and laser light sources illuminate fibers and which specifications are important. On the receiver side, the authors cover how PN and PIN photodiodes convert optical pulses into electrical signals. By chapter 4, you’ll be ready to put a fiber-optic link together. You’ll learn how to develop a loss budget and how the all-important signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and bit-error rate (BER) parameters affect a link’s health.
After spending a chapter covering repeaters and optical amplifiers that lengthen links, the authors explain how wavelength multiplexing lets you send multiple transmissions through a fiber. You’ll also learn about test equipment that can produce eye diagrams and calculate BER. Finally, you’ll get an overview of optical-communication protocols. The book wraps up with a glossary and a list of acronyms.
My only minor criticism is that during their discussion of BER in chapter 3, the authors should have mentioned that the book has a further discussion of BER in chapter 8. Other than that, I found this book useful and educational. (Disclosure: The book’s publisher is owned by Test & Measurement World’s parent company.)
