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DENSE WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING (DWDM) SYSTEMS

INTRODUCTION
1. The reality of fiber optic transmission had been experimentally proven in the
nineteenth century but the technology began to advance rapidly in the second half of the
twentieth century with the invention of the fiberscope, which found applications in industry
and medicine, after the viability of transmitting light over fiber had been established. The
next step in the development of fiber optics was to find a light source that would be
sufficiently powerful and narrow. The light-emitting diode (LED) and the laser diode
proved capable of meeting these requirements. Lasers went through several generati ons
in the 1960s, culminating with the semiconductor lasers that are most widely used in fiber
optics today.

2. Light has an information-carrying capacity 10,000 times greater than the highest
radio frequencies. Additional advantages of fiber over copper include the ability to carry
signals over long distances, low error rates, immunity to electrical interference, security
and light weight. Aware of these characteristics, researchers in the mid-1960s proposed
that optical fiber might be a suitable transmission medium. However, there was loss of
signal strength or attenuation, seen in the glass they were working with. Finally, in 1970,
first communication grade fibers were produced. With attenuation less than 20 decibels
per kilometer (dB/km), this purified glass fiber exceeded the threshold for making fiber
optics a viable technology.

3. DWDM is the short form of Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing. DWDM is an
important technology in fiber optic network. DWDM uses WDM technology to arrange
several fiber optic lights to transmit simultaneously via the same single fiber optic cable
but DWDM carry more fiber channel compared with Coarse Wavelength Division
Multiplexing (CWDM). DWDM is usually used on fiber optic backbones and long
distance data transmission and DWDM system has higher demand of fiber amplifiers.

4. With DWDM technology, a single optical fiber capacity nowadays could reach
400Gb/s and this capacity may even enlarge with more channels being added in DWDM.
A critical advantage of DWDM is that its protocol is not related to its transmission speed,
thus IP, ATM, SONET/SDH, Ethernet can be used for transmission speed between
100Mb/s to 2.5Gb/s. DWDM can transmit different types of data at different speed on the
same channel. DWDM is the multiplexing of 4, 8, 16, 32 or more wavelengths in the
range of 1530nm to 1610nm range with a very narrow separation between the
wavelengths. DWDM refers originally to optical signals multiplexed within the 1550 nm
band.

5. The functionality of DWDM resembles that of the CWDM. However, unlike to
CWDM technology, the channel spacing for DWDM is 0.8/0.4 nm (100 GHz/50 GHz grid).
This small channel spacing allows transmitting simultaneously much more information.
Currently a restriction on wavelengths between 1530 nm and 1625 nm exists which
corresponds to the C and L band. In this connection, DWDM wavelengths from DWDM
technology are more expensive compared to CWDM caused by the need of more
sophisticated transceivers.


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THE DEVELOPMENT OF DWDM

6. In recent years, the fiber optic communication systems technology has been
constantly upgrading. Since 1995, the development of WDM technology is extremely
rapid and into the fast lane, optical amplifiers (OA), the emergence of an important
milestone and developed into the history of optical communication, especially based on
Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) 1550nm window system. DWDM technology is a
concrete manifestation of the WDM technology and its development is closely linked with
WDM.


Fig 1 : A Typical DWDM System

7. Early WDM began in the late 1980s using the two widely spaced wavelengths in
the 1310 nm and 1550 nm (or 850 nm and 1310 nm) regions, sometimes called
wideband WDM. Figure 1 shows an example of this simple form of WDM. We can notice
that one of the fiber pair is used to transmit and one is used to receive. This is the most
efficient arrangement and the one which is found in most of the DWDM systems.


Fig 2 : WDM with Two Channels

8. The early 1990s saw a second generation of WDM, sometimes called narrowband
WDM, in which two to eight channels were used. These channels were now spaced at an
interval of about 400 GHz in the 1550-nm window. By the mid-1990s, dense WDM
(DWDM) systems were emerging with 16 to 40 channels and spacing from 100 to 200
GHz. By the late 1990s DWDM systems had evolved to the point where they were
capable of 64 to 160 parallel channels, densely packed at 50 or even 25 GHz intervals.

9. As Figure 2 shows, the progression of the technology can be seen as an increase
in the number of wavelengths accompanied by a decrease in the spacing of the
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wavelengths. Alongwith increased density of wavelengths, systems also advanced in
their flexibility of configuration, through add-drop functions and management capabilities.

10. Although, the WDM working principle is the optical domain on the frequency
division multiplexing (FDM) technology, the actual use of the WDM system is a
combination of frequency division multiplexing on the optical domain with the electric field
on the time division multiplexing technology. DWDM system is the optical signal on the
frequency domain division.

MAIN COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS OF DWDM SYSTEM

11. A basic DWDM system contains several main components:

(a) DWDM Terminal Multiplexer. The terminal multiplexer actually contains
one wavelength converting transponder for each wavelength signal it will carry.
The wavelength converting transponders receive the input optical signal (i.e., from
a client-layer or other signal), convert that signal into the electrical domain and
then retransmit the signal using a 1550 nm band laser. (Early DWDM systems
contained 4 or 8 wavelength converting transponders in the mid 1990s. By 2000 or
so, commercial systems capable of carrying 128 signals were available.) The
terminal multiplexer also contains an optical multiplexer which takes the various
1550 nm band signals and places them onto a single fiber. The terminal
multiplexer may or may not also support a local EDFA for power amplification of
the multi-wavelength optical signal.

(b) Intermediate Line Repeater. It is placed approx. every 80 100 km for
compensating the loss in optical power, while the signal travels along the fiber.
The signal is amplified by an EDFA which usually consists of several amplifier
stages.

(c) Intermediate Optical Terminal or Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer. This is
a remote amplification site that amplifies the multi-wavelength signal that may
have traversed up to 140 km or more before reaching to the remote site. Optical
diagnostics and telemetry are often extracted or inserted at such a site to allow for
localization of any fiber breaks or signal impairments. In more sophisticated
systems (which are no longer point-to-point), several signals out of the multi
wavelength signal may be removed and dropped locally.

(d) DWDM Terminal De-Multiplexer. The terminal de-multiplexer breaks the
multi-wavelength signal back into individual signals and send its outputs on
separate fibers for client-layer systems to detect. Originally, this de-multiplexing
was performed entirely passively, except for some telemetry as most SONET
systems can receive 1550-nm signals. However, in order to allow for transmission
to remote client-layer systems (and to allow for digital domain signal integrity
determination) such de-multiplexed signals are usually sent to output transponders
prior to being relayed to their client-layer systems. Often, the functionality of output
transponder has been integrated into that of input transponder so that most
commercial systems have transponders that support bi-directional interfaces on
both their 1550-nm (i.e. internal) side and external (i.e. client-facing) side.

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(e) Optical Supervisory Channel (OSC). This is an additional wavelength
usually outside the EDFA amplification band (at 1510 nm, 1620 nm, 1310 nm or
another proprietary wavelength). The OSC carries information about the multi -
wavelength optical signal at the optical terminal. It is also normally used for remote
software upgrades, user (i.e. network operator) and Network Management
information. Unlike the 1550 nm band client signal-carrying wavelengths, the OSC
is always terminated at intermediate amplifier sites, where it receives local
information before retransmission.

12. A DWDM the system performs the following main functions:-

(a) Generating the signal. The source, a solid-state laser, must provide
stable light that carries the digital data and modulated as an analog signal.

(b) Combining the signals. Modern DWDM systems employ multiplexers to
combine the signals. There is some inherent loss associated with multiplexing and
de multiplexing. This loss is dependent upon the number of channels but can be
mitigated with optical amplifiers which boost all the wavelengths at once without
electrical conversion.

(c) Transmitting the signals. The effects of crosstalk and optical signal
degradation or loss must be reckoned within fiber optic transmission. These
effects can be minimized by controlling variables such as channel spacing,
wavelength tolerance and laser power levels. Over a transmission link, the signal
may need to be optically amplified.

(d) Separating the received signals. At the receiving end, the multiplexed
signals must be separated out. Although this task would appear to be simply the
opposite of combining the signals, it is technically more difficult in actual.

(e) Receiving the signals. The de multiplexed signal is received by a photo
detector.

(f) In addition to these functions, a DWDM system must also be equipped with
client-side interfaces to receive the input signal. This function is performed by
transponders. On the DWDM side, there are interfaces to the optical fiber which
link DWDM systems.

Fig 5 : DWDM Functional Schematic


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DWDM NETWORK TOPOLOGIES

13. Initially DWDM started with one topology, point-to-point. A number of network
topologies in addition to direct point-to-point are now considered. However, point-to-point
with add-drop capability, ring, fully mesh connected and star. Except for point-to-point,
these topologies may be mapped in to a fiber ring topology with many wave lengths.

14. Depending on topology and fiber length, optical amplification may not be required.
The need for amplification and the number of amplifiers (if any) can be estimated from
the distance between the transmitter and the receiver and according to system design
parameters such as number of wavelengths (channels), channel width, channel
separation, modulation techniques, bit rate, fiber type and other optical component
characteristics.


Fig 6 : A conceptual point DWDM system

15. Figure 6 illustrates a DWDM point-to-point topology with an optional amplifier. This
topology is more suitable for long-haul ultrahigh aggregate bandwidth transport (where
wavelengths are distinguished by different colors, wavelength multiplexers and de-
multiplexers are not shown). An Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (OADM) may also be
included on the link, if one or more wavelengths are to be dropped and added.



Fig 7 : Fully connected and star WDM ring topologies the fiber is
shown as a dashed line (black) and interconnecting links
are shown via separate channel (colored).

16. Figure 7 illustrates a five-node, fully connected mesh topology DWDM mapped
onto a ring (a single ring is shown for clarity) and a star network also mapped onto a ring.
Each interconnecting link is shown via a separate channel (wavelength) and in the fully
connected case; four wavelengths are added / dropped at each node. The hub of the star
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network may receive a wavelength from a node on the ring and selectively convert it to
another wavelength destined to another node on the same ring. This function is also
referred as broadcast and select. Although, we make reference to nodes, the
conventional communication networks "node" may be replaced by "router," which is
better suited to data networks. In DWDM applications, a router performs optical multi-
plexing, switching and provides real-time quality of service (QoS) which starts looking like
a traditional node.
THE ADVANTAGES OF DWDM

17. A DWDM system contains following advantages:-

(a) Large Capacity Transmission. The transmission capacity of DWDM
system is enormous. DWDM multiplexes optical path rate @ 2.5Gb / s, 10Gb/s
etc. so the transmission capacity of the system can reach upto 300 to 400Gb/s.
Such a huge transmission capacity TDM way cant be done.

(b) Saving Fiber Resources. For a single wavelength system, a SDH system
needs a pair of optical fibers. For DWDM systems, regardless of the number of
SDH systems, the entire multiplexing system needs only a pair of fibers enough.

(c) Access Transparent Transmission Smooth Upgrade and Expansion.
As long as the increase complex optical number of lanes and equipments are
concerned, we can increase the transmission capacity of the system to achieve
the expansion and the expansion will not have a negative impact on other
multiplexed optical path. The upgrading and expansion of the DWDM system is
smooth, convenient and easy, so as to maximize the protection of the construction
of the initial investment. Since each multiplexing passage of the DWDM system is
independent of each other, so each of the optical patches can transparently send
different service signals, such as voice, data and image, etc. and can bring great
convenience to the user at the same time.

(d) Make Full Use of the TDM Technology. To improve the transmission rate
of TDM way to reduce costs has great appeal but faces many limiting factors such
as manufacturing processes, electronic devices work rate restrictions ctc. DWDM
technology can take full advantage of the now mature TDM technology, even
several times to increase the transmission capacity quite easily, so as to avoid the
development of more high-speed TDM technology (10Gb / s or more) are facing
difficulties.

(e) Ultra-Long Haul Transmission The (EDFA) has a high gain, wide
bandwidth, low noise etc. and its light magnification range of 1530-1565nm to
1550nm wavelength range can cover almost the entire DWDM systems. Path
signal at the same time with a very wide bandwidth of EDFA can DWDM systems
each multiplexed optical zoom to achieve a system of ultra l ong distance
transmission and also to avoid the situation of each of the optical transmission
system which requires a light amplification and reduces costs.

(f) Fiber Dispersion Without Excessive Requirements. DWDM systems, no
matter how high transfer rate of the system is, the transmission capacity of fiber
dispersion coefficient is basically a single multiplex channel rate signal on the fiber
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dispersion coefficient. DWDM system transmission capacity of existing
laboratories, commercial level reach presents the following technical trends:-

(i) Raising the single channel bit rate and the increase in both the number
of channels, in order to achieve a rate of increase of the DWDM system.

(ii) One of the options to achieve Tb/s system is OTDM and DWDM
combined.

(iii) Bidirectional DWDM system has appeared and will get a certain
development.

(iv) The use of DWDM technology to build greater capacity optical
transport network.

(v) During the further expansion of band (now the C-band development
of the L and S band), the channel spacing is further reduced, to further
increase the transmission capacity. Especially with the advent of fiber
optical communication, WDM systems impact of the terrain, bad weather
disturbance and ability, confidentiality and the use of open interfaces which
can carry a variety of assignments.

CONCLUSION

18 The emergence of DWDM is one of the most recent and important phenomena in
the development of fiber optic transmission technology. DWDM technology is a concrete
manifestation of the WDM. Actual use of the DWDM system is a combination of
frequency division multiplexing on the optical domain with the electric field on the time
division multiplexing technology. DWDM technology is the order to take full advantage of
single mode fiber with low loss area of the enormous bandwidth resources according to
each light wave frequency (or wavelength) different from the low-loss window of the
optical fibers and is divided into several channels. Carrier signals of different wavelengths
of light can be regarded as mutually independent and thus can realize the multiplexed
transmission of the optical signal in an optical fiber.

Read More:-

(a) http://www.webopedia.com/term/d/dwdm.html .
(b) http://www.scribd.com/doc/11524984/An-Overview-of-DWDM.
(c) http://www.advaoptical.com/en/products/technology/dwdm.aspx.