Research toward optical-fiber transmission systems

The fundementals of optical fiber transmission systems including the fiber transmission medium, sources suitable for use as a carrier, modulation and detection techniques, and some system design considerations are reviewed. The advent of low-loss optical fibers brings new dimensions to optical communication prospects. Fibers may soon be used much as wire pairs of coaxial cable are now used in communication systems. Transmission losses as low as 2 dB/km have been achieved. Experimental repeaters for fiber systems with 10^-9error rate at about 300-Mb/s pulse rate have been reported. Fiber cabling and splicing are among the problems requiring new ideas in order to make feasible an operable system.