Competencies are the correct combination of knowledge, skills and abilities, attitude and values; all of them are necessary to perform correctly a job. The specific competencies are acquired and developed in the module Telecommunication Systems, whereas the general and transversal competencies are developed during the whole degree of Telecommunications Engineering (Grado en Ingeniería en Tecnología de Telecomunicación).



Students of this subject will acquire the following competencies:



Specific competencies:

- Ability to select circuits, subsystems and systems for radio-frequency, microwave, broadcasting, radio link and radiodetermination (M03S4).

- Ability to select antennas, pieces of equipment and systems for transmission and guided and non-guided wave propagation by electromagnetic, radio-frequency related or optical means, as well as to manage the corresponding radio spectrum and frequency assignment (M03S5).



General and transversal competencies:

- Knowledge of the fundamental topics and technologies that allow students both to learn new methods and technologies and to adapt themselves to any new situation (G003).

- Ability to solve problems with initiative, decision making, creativity, and to communicate and transfer knowledge, skills and abilities, understanding the ethical and professional responsibility in the performance of the Technical Telecommunications Engineering (G004).

- Ability to analyze and assess the social and environmental impact of the technical solutions (G007).



The previous competencies take shape in the following learning results:



- Identify the fundamental parameters that define the properties of the optical fibers and devices used in the optical communication systems, as well as the mechanisms and effects that limit the capacity of these systems (RA1).

- Understand the physical phenomena involved in the operation of the optical fibers and optical devices (RA2).

- Select the suitable type of optical fiber and the required devices to fulfill the requirements for distance and bandwidth of the optical transmission networks (RA3).

- Process the measurements obtained with measuring devices by applying error analysis -study of uncertainties- (RA4).

- Certify the performance and operation of systems and other pieces of optical equipment using measuring devices (RA5).

- Identify the sources of error in faulty optical communication systems (RA6).

- Design optical transmission networks both for short-haul local networks and for high-capacity transatlantic networks (RA7).

- Evaluate the alternative options for the selection of subsystems that constitute an optical transmission network, giving preference to solutions of higher efficiency and lower social and environmental impact (RA8).

The subject is divided into two sections:

- On one hand, in the lectures + practical classroom work, contents are worked individually by students, and they consist of five lessons.

- On the other, in the seminars + practical laboratory work, students work in groups of three or four, and they have to complete six practical tasks. Previously, training lessons are given so that students carry out correctly their tasks.



Lectures + practical classroom work:

- Lesson 1: Introduction to optical fibers.

Critical angle and evanescent field. Optical fiber: structure, types, applications, refractive index profiles, numerical aperture and transmission capacity. Historical view.

- Lesson 2: Propagation in optical fibers.

Attenuation: intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms, transmission windows and maximum distance limited by attenuation. Dispersion: concept and effects, types of dispersion and maximum distance limited by dispersion. Cables and fibers: structure and types of cables. Connectors and splices: intrinsic and extrinsic losses, connector and splice losses.

- Lesson 3: Optical emitters.

LEDs: working principle, SLEDs, ELEDs and efficiencies. Lasers: working principle, Fabry-Perot laser, efficiencies, emission modes and lasers based on distributed mirrors. External modulators.

- Lesson 4: Optical detectors.

Photodiodes: working principle, efficiencies and responsivity, spectral features and avalanche photodiodes vs PIN photodiodes. Design of an optical link taking into account the times of response of the laser, of the optical fiber and of the receiver.

- Lesson 5: Optical amplifiers and non-linear effects.

Optical amplifiers: working principle, EDFA, SOA and Raman. Non-linear effects: classification and description.



Seminars + practical laboratory work:

- Training lessons: Introduction and safety. Metrology. Introduction to the study of uncertainties.

- Practical task 1: Optical power meter and dual laser source.

Measurement of bending losses. Couplers.

- Practical task 2: Measurement of the numerical aperture and other parameters of interest in multimode fibers.

Misalignment losses in fibers. Attenuation in optical fibers with connectors using different LEDs.

- Practical task 3: WDM transmission systems.

Transmission with wavelength division multiplexing. Measurement of the attenuation in demux filters.

- Practical task 4: Measurement of an optical fiber communications link.

Learning to use an optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR). Measurement of the attenuation and insertion losses in fiber links.

- Practical task 5: Polarization of light and its applications.

Malus's law. Polarization angle.

- Practical task 6: Measurement of a semiconductor laser.

Power-current curve. Measurement of the astigmatism.

Students of this subject work individually (lectures + practical classroom work) or in groups (seminars + practical laboratory work). The methodology is explained in more detail below:



- Masterclasses (lectures):

The theoretical basics and concepts are explained by the lecturer. Furthermore, the lecturer assists students with the study and the reading of recommended bibliography in the hours of student work outside the classroom. Learning results: RA1 and RA2.



- Problem-solving activities (practical classroom work):

Problem-solving activities are carried out by the lecturer on the blackboard; these problems are related to the theory explained in the lectures (they are marked with an asterisk). Students are also encouraged to participate and discuss in class. Students can also solve additional problems (not marked with an asterisk) in the hours of student work outside the classroom. Learning results: RA3, RA7 and RA8.



- Practical task-based learning (seminars + practical laboratory work):

Students perform experimental measurements in groups of three or four (there are six practical tasks, they are independent, and they are not necessarily conducted sequentially). Previously, students can read the manuals thoroughly and prepare each practical task in the hours of student work outside the classroom. Afterwards, there are two sessions to complete each practical task: in the first session, in the practical laboratory work, each group performs the experimental measurements and records the results; in the second session, in the seminars, the results from the previous session are processed by each group and documented in standard reports. The lecturer assists each group both with their experimental measuring and with the development of the standard report in order to improve successive practical tasks and reports. Assistance from lecturer takes place in the hours of face-to-face teaching of seminars + practical laboratory work, as well as in office hours. Learning results: RA2, RA4, RA5 and RA6.



Note: should the health conditions prevent any face-to-face teaching and/or assessment, such activity will move online, and students will be kept informed in a timely manner.

To pass the subject it is required to get at least a 50% pass mark on:

- the lectures + practical classroom work

and on

- the seminars + practical laboratory work.



Assessment of the lectures + practical classroom work (individual mark):

- For continuous assessment:

* Two questionnaires in the eGela virtual platform (7% of the total grade).

* A written exam in the official examination date of the final assessment test (28% of the total grade).

- For final assessment (for students that requested to be graded by final assessment):

* A questionnaire and a written exam in the official examination date of the final assessment test (35% of the total grade).



Assessment of the seminars + practical laboratory work (individual or group mark):

- For continuous assessment:

* 6 standard reports of the experimental measurements processed correctly (65% of the total grade, group mark).

- For final assessment (for students that requested to be graded by final assessment):

* A practical exam after the written exam in the official examination date of the final assessment test (65% of the total grade, individual mark).



Withdrawal from continuous assessment:

- Students have the right to be graded by final assessment: they must present a written request to do this, within 9 weeks, starting from the beginning of the four-month period.



Withdrawal from a call:

- For continuous assessment: students may withdraw from the ordinary exam call one month before the end of the teaching period. To do this, they must present a written request to this end. Otherwise, non-attendance at the exam call in the official examination date of the final assessment test will result in a failing grade (NOT PASS will be applied).

- For final assessment (for students that requested to be graded by final assessment): non-attendance at the exam call in the official examination date of the final assessment test will result in a withdrawal (NOT PRESENTED will be applied).

Lecture materials and notes are available in the eGela virtual platform:
- PowerPoint slides used in the lectures.
- Questions from the exercises worked on in the practical classroom work.
- Manuals and standard reports of the seminars + practical laboratory work.

Information about the use of materials, media and resources:
- During teaching activities (continuous assessment):
* Students are permitted to use books or course notes as well as electronic or computer systems or devices. Should these systems or devices have access to the Internet, any search for other than instructional materials will be prohibited. In any case, no telephone systems, devices or any other type of help are permitted.
- In the final assessment test (both continuous assessment and final assessment):
* Students are only permitted to use calculators. Neither books or course notes nor telephone, electronic or computer systems or devices nor any other type of help are permitted.

Basic bibliography

G. Aldabaldetreku, G. Durana, Sistemas de comunicaciones ópticas. Euskal Herriko Unibertsitateko Argitalpen Zerbitzua / Servicio Editorial de la Universidad del País Vasco, 2020.

J. Capmany, F. J. Fraile-Peláez, J. Martí, Fundamentos de comunicaciones ópticas. Síntesis, 2001.

G. Durana, G. Aldabaldetreku, Fundamentos de campos electromagnéticos para Ingeniería. Euskal Herriko Unibertsitateko Argitalpen Zerbitzua / Servicio Editorial de la Universidad del País Vasco, 2017.

A. K. Ghatak, K. Thyagarajan, An Introduction to fiber optics. Cambridge University Press, 1998.

W. B. Jones, Introduction to optical fiber communication systems. Oxford University Press, 1988.

J. C. Palais, Fiber optic communications. Prentice Hall, 2004.

J. M. Senior, Optical fiber communications: principles and practice. Prentice-Hall, 1985.

A. W. Snyder, J. D. Love, Optical waveguide theory. Chapman and Hall, 1983.

J. R. Taylor, An Introduction to Error Analysis: The Study of Uncertainties in Physical Measurements, University Science Books, 1997.

K. Thyagarajan, A. K. Ghatak, Fiber optic essentials. John Wiley and Sons, 2007.

In-depth bibliography

G. P. Agrawal, Fiber-optic communication systems. John Wiley and Sons, 2002.
M. Born, E. Wolf, Principles of optics. Pergamon Press, 1990.
J. Capmany, D. Pastor, B. Ortega, Problemas de Comunicaciones Ópticas, Tomo 1: dispositivos, Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 1998.
J. W. Goodman, Statistical optics. John Wiley and Sons, 1985.
E. Hecht, Optica. Addison Wesley, 2002.
H. Hughes, Telecommunications cables. John Wiley and Sons, 1997.
H. C. van de Hulst, Light scattering by small particles. Dover Publications, 1981.
J. D. Jackson, Classical electrodynamics. John Wiley and Sons, 1999.
G. Keiser, Optical fiber communications. McGraw-Hill, 1991.
M. G. Kuzyk, Polymer fiber optics: materials, physics, and applications. Taylor and Francis, 2007.
J. Powers, An introduction to fiber optic systems. McGraw-Hill, 2002.
B. E. A. Saleh, M. C. Teich, Fundamentals of photonics. John Wiley and Sons, 2007.

Journals

Revista Española de Física: http://www.revistadefisica.es/index.php/ref/index