5 ECTS credits
135 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4017033ENR for all students in the 1st semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Engineering
Department
Electricity
External partners
Université libre de Bruxelles
Educational team
Simon-Pierre Gorza (course titular)
Decaan IR
Activities and contact hours
36 contact hours Lecture
24 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

This course is about the properties of the main components of a photonic communication system, i.e. planar waveguides and optical fibers, passive optical components, optical emitters and receivers, as well as optical amplifiers. It deals with chromatic dispersion management, birefringence and polarisation mode dispersion, as well as wavelength multiplexing techniques. The system aspect is studied through the bite error rate (BER) performance and the quality factor of point-to-point optical links, and through coherent optical systems. Finally, the course focuses on nonlinear effects in optical fibers relevant for fiber optics communications as well as devices based on nonlinear effects for all optical signal processing.

Course material
Digital course material (Required) : The slides of the theoretical courses, Simon-Pierre Gorza and Philippe Emplit, http://opera.ulb.ac.be/opera/-ELEC-H-507-Telecommunications-par-?lang=en
Handbook (Recommended) : Fiber-optic communication systems, Govind P. Agrawal, 4th edition, Wiley et Sons, 9781119737360, 2021
Additional info

The slides of the theoretical courses are available on the webpage of the course:

http://opera.ulb.ac.be/opera/-ELEC-H-507-Telecommunications-par-?lang=en

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

The students are expected to understand:

o   The physics and properties of optical waveguides

o   How optical fiber properties impact the performances of a telecomunications system

o   The principles and limitations of optical fiber amplifiers

o   The principle of emitters (source, modulator) and receivers (detector, design) used in optical telecommunication systems

o   How nonlinear effects impact the system performances

General competencies

The student should be able to analyze and justify the design of modern point-to-point optical telecommunication system

General competencies

The student should be able to evaluate the performances (bit error rate, quality factor) of an optical telecommunication system

General competencies

The student should be able to  design a system which meets specific requirements (wavelength, propagation distance, bit rate, BER).

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 34% of the final mark.
Written Exam determines 33% of the final mark.
Practical Exam determines 33% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • openbook exam (theory) with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 34% of the final mark.

    Note: openbook preparation (30') followed by a presentation/discussion (30'). e-books or other electronic appliances cannot be used during the exam.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • openbook exam (applications) with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 33% of the final mark.

    Note: openbook exam (3h). e-books or other electronic appliances cannot be used during the exam.

Within the Practical Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • laboratory with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 33% of the final mark.

    Note: the assessment is based on the participation during the laboratories and on a written report.

Additional info regarding evaluation

First session: Oral examination (theory): 1/3; written examination (exercies/applications): 1/3; laboratories: 1/3.

Second session: Oral examination (both theory and exercices): 2/3; laboratories: 1/3.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Electronics and Information Technology Engineering: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Electrical Engineering: Standaard traject BRUFACE J