A Simple Fiber-Optic Communications System

Resource for Grades 11-12

| Citation

A Simple Fiber-Optic Communications System

Media Type:
Video

Running Time: 5m 31s
Size: 16.3 MB

Source: The National Center for Information and Communications Technologies

This media asset was adapted from "ICT Experiment 6: A Simple Fiber-Optic Communications System".

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In this video from the ICT Center, learn how rise-time analysis is performed to determine the maximum data rate of a fiber optic communications system. Animations and diagrams show how a transmitter, fiber, and receiver work together to transfer information and how component rise times and fiber dispersion contribute to total rise time.

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Discussion Questions

What are the major components of a fiber optic communications system?
What two factors affect the total rise time of a digital signal?
If someone is interested in working with fiber optic technology, how do you think they could get the education they need?

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Teaching Tips

Here are suggested ways to engage students with this video and with activities related to this topic.

Beginning a lesson: Discuss applications of fiber optics that may be found at home or in school. Ask students to think about how the use of fiber optics may offer advantages (in terms of cost, bandwidth, and distance capability, for example) over other technologies.
Viewing the video: Use the following suggestions to guide students' viewing of the video:
- Before: Write key words and terms on the board (such as transmitter, receiver, digital, analog, bandwidth, data rate, rise time, fiber dispersion, and pulse distortion). Have students write them down in their notebooks and review them with a partner.
- During: The mathematical definition for rise time is covered quickly in the video. Pause the video to review as a class the relationship between rise time and bandwidth. You may also want to go over the difference between return-to-zero (RZ) and non-return-to-zero (NRZ) coding formats.
- After: Discuss why someone would want to do a rise-time analysis on a system. What other considerations would go into designing a communications system?
Doing research projects—individual: Have students research the history and development of fiber optic communications systems. Ask them to create a visual timeline that illustrates the growing number of applications and how technology has advanced through the years.