LED and Transmitter Characteristics

Resource for Grades 11-12

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Media Type:
Video

Running Time: 3m 12s
Size: 9.5 MB

Source: The National Center for Information and Communications Technologies

This media asset was adapted from "ICT Experiment 4: LED and Transmitter Characteristics".

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In this video from the ICT Center, learn about fiber optic transmitters. Explore the components of a fiber optic transmitter, including a source, a modulator, an electrical driving circuit, and fiber coupling mechanics. Animations illustrate how the process of spontaneous emission converts electrical information to an optical signal in a light-emitting diode, or LED. In addition, learn about characteristics that make a source suitable for fiber optic communications.

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Discussion Questions

What is the role of a transmitter in electronic communication?
How are LEDs used in information transfer systems?
What is spontaneous emission?

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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: Ask students to identify the role of a transmitter in a communications system. Have students discuss different methods (such as clicks, tones, or lights) that could be used to transmit a message in Morse code.
Viewing the video: Use the following suggestions to guide students' viewing of the video:
- Before: Ask students to demonstrate how light could be used to communicate a message. Review how a fiber optic cable can carry a light signal.
- During: Have students write down the key characteristics needed for an optical source used in fiber optic communications.
- After: Discuss with students how red, green, and blue LEDs differ from each other in terms of energy and wavelength. Have students think about which type of light source would be most suitable for transmitting a signal over a long distance using fiber optics.
Doing research projects—individual: Have students conduct their own research on light-emitting diodes. How is chemical composition related to the color of an LED? What are other applications of LEDs?