Optical Signal Amplification in Electrical Domain

Submitted by:

Mubashar Sarfraz (10588)

Aitsam Ahmad (10570)
Muhammad Babar Usman Shahid (10590)
BEEE 7th
Submitted to:

Engr. Khurram Khan

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES

ISLAMABAD
January 2, 2017

1. Abstract
The fiber optic amplifier plays a significant and key role in enhancing the capacity for a
communication system. The light signals can be transmitted by the use of optical transmitters,
optical receivers and optical fiber. When optical signal travels in fiber it get attenuated which
results in the loss of information that we sent over optical link. Its compensation for the wakening
of knowledge throughout the transmission, due to fiber optic attenuation. So Amplification of
optical signal is necessary in order to carry out a successful transmission. There are several types
of amplifiers that can be used in optical fiber line such as Doped fiber amplifier, Semiconductor
optical amplifier and Fiber Raman amplifier etc. But these all amplifiers are quite expensive so for
a simple and short optical link these are not a good option in terms of cost and simplicity. Here we
need something simple and cheap. In this case electrical amplifiers can be used in optical link in
order to amplify optical signal to some extent. Operational amplifier can be a best option due to
its simple circuit and involvement of cheap electronic components. In this project we electrically
amplified optical signal of fiber 1, generated by laser 1. Optical signal travels in fiber 1 and then
converted back into electrical signal for amplification by a photodiode, then operational amplifier
amplify this 3electrical signal and laser 2 converted this amplified optical signal back to optical
signal which then travel into fiber 2. So in this way optical signal is successfully amplified by
using just simple electronic components. It is preferably cheaper and easier than any other optical
amplifier.

2. Introduction
Many time during lab experiments and small scale optical fiber work we need to amplify our
optical signals. Use of optical amplifiers may not be good option because of their complexity and
high cost requirements. In such cases use of simple electrical amplifiers in order to amplify
electrical signals can do this job in much better and preferable way. Here we are going to make a
simple optical fiber network in which we will use an operational amplifier in order to amplify our
optical signal generated by simple laser diode. Optical signal when travels into fiber 1 it get pretty
much attenuated. After traveling in fiber 2 we receive very small output signal because of signal
attenuation in fiber 1 and fiber 2. So there must be something that can amplify optical signal so
that we could get out output signal at the output of fiber 2. Here we used and operational amplifier
which consists of simple electronic components.

3. Working
Laser 1 is used to generate optical signal. This optical signal will travel in fiber 1. Signal received
at the output of fiber 1 is pretty much attenuated. Then there is photodiode at the output of fiber 1.
Laser light fall at photodiode and it generated electrical signal. Now this electrical signal is
amplified in operational amplifier circuit and it gets amplified.

Figure 1: IC 741 (Op-Amp)

Then this amplified electrical signal is converted to optical signal using Laser 2. Then it travels
into the fiber 2 as amplified optical signal and we get output from fiber 2. Two 9 volt batteries are
used as power source for each Laser diode.

3.1 Apparatus
Following components are used in this project
Photodiode
LED
Two optical fibers
Two Lasers
Two 9v batteries
Operation amplifier
220 ohm Resister
Connecting wires
PCB board

3.2 Circuit Diagram

3.3 Project Diagram

3.4 Calculations and Readings

Input Voltage of
source 1
= Vin 1

Input Voltage of
source 2
= Vin 2

Detected Voltage
by Photodiode
= V1

Amplified Voltage
=V2

Amplification
Percentage
V1/V2*100%

5.20 V

7.23 V

1.67 V

2.13 V

(1.67 V/2.13V)*100
=78.40 %

4. Conclusion
Amplification of Optical signal is necessary in order to make successful communication in high
attenuation conditions. Using high power expensive optical amplifiers can make the low scale
optical projects very costly. Thats why using simple electrical amplifier can be best option in
small scale optical circuits and lab projects. Just some simple electronic components and our job
is done in pretty smart way. This project deals with the electrical conversion and amplification
then conversion of amplified electrical signal back to optical signal.