A Brief Overview of Fiber Optic Communication: a look at the physical layer

This is an overview of the fiber optic physical layer written by someone with over thirty years of experience in the industry. Mr. Timpe worked on lasers and receivers used in the first transatlantic undersea fiberoptic cable and more recently worked on silicon photonic devices. Lasers, transmitters, detector diodes, and receivers are discussed. Stress testing of optical receivers is discussed. Multi-mode and single-mode fiber are covered, as well as a chapter on silicon photonics. A method of improving the trigger on sampling scopes is discussed. Recent patents in silicon photonics are discussed. The effect of silicon photonics and the demand for more bandwidth are pushing specifications in a new direction. This new direction for specifications is discussed in the final chapter. The intended audience is people with some technical knowledge and a curiosity about this ubiquitous communication technology. This book will give you an insight into how these devices work, and the direction the industry is taking.