Fiber Optic Video Transmission

Chapter 16

Advanced Optical Components

 

Many fiber optic applications, such as long-haul DWDM systems, require amplification of the optical signal. In the past, this entailed using expensive electronic repeaters at intermediate points every 100 km. Today's modern long-haul DWDM systems use several advanced optical components to replace multiple repeaters with a single optical device. These optical devices, once only laboratory curiosities, now see widespread use in field deployments.

Erbium-doped Fiber Amplifiers

Researchers developed erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) to replace numerous electronic repeaters with fewer optical repeaters, overall reducing system cost and complexity. EDFAs, such as the one pictured in Figure 16.1, also allow ...