When you finish this module, you will be able to:

• Identify the basic components of a fiber optic communication system
  
  
• Discuss light propagation in an optical fiber
  
  
• Identify the various types of optical fibers
  
  
• Determine the dispersion characteristics for the various types of optical fibers
  
  
• Describe the various connector types
  
  
• Calculate decibel and dBm power
  
  
• Calculate the power budget for a fiber optic system
  
  
• Calculate the bandwidth of a fiber optic system
  
  
• Describe the operation and applications of the various types of fiber optic couplers
  
  
• Describe the operation and applications of light emitting diodes (LEDs)
  
  
• Describe the operation and applications of laser diodes (LDs)
  
  
• Describe the operation and applications of distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers
  
  
• Discuss the differences between LEDs and laser diodes with respect to performance characteristics
  
  
• Discuss the differences between the various types of optical detectors with respect to performance characteristics
  
  
• Describe how pulse code modulation (PCM) is used in analog-to-digital conversion
  
  
• Describe the operation North American Digital Hierarchy
  
  
• Describe the difference between internal and external modulation
  
  
• Discuss the principles of time division multiplexing (TDM)
  
  
• Discuss the principles of wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM)
  
  
• Discuss the principles of dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM)
  
  
• Discuss the significance of the International Telecom Union grid (ITU grid)
  
  
• Discuss the use of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA) for signal regeneration
  
  
• Describe the operation and applications of fiber Bragg gratings
  
  
• Describe the operation and application of fiber optic circulators
  
  
• Describe the operation of a typical fiber optic communication system and the components that make it up