73118 - Systems and Optical Wirless Circuits T - 1

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will have a solid knowledge of both methodological and application-oriented type on the principles of guided wave propagation, on the fundamentals of optical fiber systems design and on the distributed constant circuits for radiofrequency telecommunications systems.

Course contents

The course is organized in three modules.

First module - Prof. Giovanni Tartarini

General principles of guided wave propagation. Cylindrical structures as mathemathical model of transmission media. Concept of mode and completeness of mode sets. Classification, characteristic quantities and properties of the modes.

Modes of type TEM, TE, TM and Hybrid. Orthogonality of the modes and mode excitation. Discontinuities of the transmission medium.

Applications: Transmission lines, Metal Waveguides, Dielectric waveguides.

Phase, group and energy velocities. Non-distortion conditions and corresponding properties of the modes.

Real waveguides Losses in the conductors and in the dielectric materials.

Exchange of electromagnetic energy between two or among more guiding structures. Electromagnetic definition of Multiport Electric Network. Phisical and Electrical Ports. Scattering Matrix and relevant properties. Imepedance, Admittance, ABCD mMatrices and relevant properties. Examples of calculations of some matrices.

Second Module – Prof. Giovanni Tartarini

Operations performed by the main optical devices and components.

Engineering aspects and fundamental guidelines for the design of Optical Fiber Systems.

Optical Fiber Transmission of digital and radiofrequency signals. Basic structure of Fiber To The Home (FTTH) networks and of Radio Over Fiber (RoF) systems.

Computer design of basic Optical Fiber Transmission Systems.

Third Module – Prof. Diego Masotti.

Quasi-stationary hypothesis.

Radiofrequency circuits and their evolution: planar technology (microstrip circuits).

Quasi-TEM mode and its conditions of existence.

Circuit and electromagnetic simulators.

Analysis/design methods of microstrip radiofrequency circuits: circuital approach, electromagnetic approach, combined circuital/electromagnetic approach.

Computer-aided design of radiofrequency circuits (e.g. filters): comparison between circuital and electromagnetic approaches.

Readings/Bibliography

V. Rizzoli, A. Lipparini, Propagazione elettromagnetica guidata, Ed. Esculapio, Progetto Leonardo, Bologna.

R. E. Collin, Foundations for Microwave Engineering, 2, Ed. McGraw Hill, New York.

D. M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, Ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York

G. Keiser, Optical Fiber Communications, Mc Graw Hill

Teaching methods

The classroom lectures are devoted to the review of the principles of guided propagation and to the rigorous treatment of the concepts and properties of the main wave-guiding structures of technical interest and of the electrical networks.

The training hours, either in the classroom or in the computer lab, are devoted to the development of application examples.

Assessment methods

The exam cosists in an oral discussion on the whole  program, aimed at establishing the student's understanding of the treated topics and of the introduced methodologies.

The discussion may also include the resolution of problems in written form or at the computer.

Teaching tools

For many of the topics treated in the Course a textbook or teachers' notes are available.

For the remaining topics, schemes of the lectures are distributed.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Tartarini

See the website of Diego Masotti