Prospects for Lightwave Communication via Optical Fibers

Optical-fiber transmission lines appear attractive for a variety of applications in which twisted copper pairs and coaxial cables are now used exclusively. These applications range from on-premises databus links and equipment wiring to interoffice and intercity telecommunications taunks. Experiments to explore the technical feasibility of optical fibers in these areas are now in progress. This talk will be centered on a discussion of the systems aspects of optical-fiber transmission and will include considerations of choices of carrier sources and fiber types, bandwidth, modulation format, receiver noise, and repeater techniques and systems.