TITLE: "Optical Networks - the Backbone of Internet and Telecom"

SPEAKER: Professor M. Yasin Akhtar Raja ,

TIME: Thursday Nov. 1, 2001 at 4 PM

PLACE: George P. Williams, Jr. Lecture Hall, (Olin 101)

This talk will be an overview of Optical Networks and the enabling photonic component technologies that are the building blocks of modern communication infrastructure. Optical communication is ubiquitous and is the backbone of today's telecom and internet. A short review of various network topologies, DWDM (Dense Wavelength-Division Multiplexing) and key components that constitute the physical layer will be presented. Some specific technological issues pertaining to Yb:Er co-doped optical amplifiers will be discussed. In addition, the polarization mode dispersion phenomena and the issues facing the hi-bit-rate long-haul optical transport will also be presented.