Recent Advances in Optical Communication - RAOC'09

One Day National Seminar was conducted in the college campus on 23rd January 2009 by the department of Electronics and Communication Engineering
 

Chair Person: Dr. Suja Ravi Isaac, Professor & Head, Department of ECE 

Fiber optics is an area of technology, which has gained a new level of significance over the last one and a half decades, because of its wide application in the field of communication. Communication networks have made the whole world a global village, making accessibility over the world a viable reality in our day-to-day life. The national seminar covered fundamental areas of Fiber Optic Communication, ranging from Fiber Optics to Fiber Amplifiers & Fiber Bragg Grating. 
 

Inaguration:

Principal Prof. M. Palanikumar welcomed the gathering. Then Dr. Suji Ravi Isaac, the Head of the Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, explained the purpose of the seminar.

The Chairman Er. M.K.S. Sreenivasan, Chairman, Vickram Group of Institutions presided over the function and, in his presidential address, he remarked that fibre optics has broken new grounds in the field of communication – a domain which we all have to feel proud of. He advised the participating faculties to observe the presentations of the eminent luminaries and to learn much about the developments and to feel inspired to make innovations in this new field of optical communication. He reiterated the fact that the vision of the college is to produce technical innovators. He sought the students to interact with the seminar speakers and learn much and to make new in-roads in this domain of technology.

Dr. S. Mohan, the Vice Chancellor of Prist University, Tanjore, who has captured the award of Best Scientist of the Year over a period of 3 years, and who has to his credit 598 publications in reputed scientific journals, addressed the gathering about the field of fiber optics. He stated that laser and fiber optics are twin developments in the realm of science and technology, which are going to bring major breakthroughs in medical surgeries in the years to come.  He advised the participants that fibre optics is a promising domain with a lot of scope for research and development. Specifically, his focus was on the use of optical fiber amplifiers – a new technology which has come to stay in recent times.

Dr. Balaji Srinivas, a distinguished scientist from Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, addressed the delegates about the applications of fibre optics in the field of communication.  He further elaborated on Optical Components, such as Semi-conductor Detectors, Wavelength Division Multiplexing, Optical Amplifiers. Towards the end of his presentation, he touched on the recent trends in optical communication.

Dr. Thomas Lee, Senior Design Engineer, Fiber Optika Technologies, Bangalore,  traced the chronological developments in the field of Optical Communication over the past 15 years - copper cables are replaced by fiber optics. The recent developments are in enhancing the bandwidth, and ensuring lower signal attenuation, immunity to electromagnetic and RF interference, small size and weight, low cost, etc. The advent of lasers in the 1960s, and the invention of low loss optical materials in the 1970s paved the way for fiber optic revolution. The first generation FOC used Multimode Fibers (MMF), which was subsequently replaced by Singlemode Fibers. Most of today’s FOC link runs on the third generation version with SMF powered by 1510 nm laser. Fourth Generation Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) has been recently introduced to further the data transfer capability of OFC link. The advent of each higher generation FOC was driven by the need for faster data communication. Today, FOC acts as a carrier for various services such as voice signals, video on demand, cable TV, remote education, home shopping, telemedicine, video conferencing etc.

Dr. P.K. Palanisamy, Professor of Physics, Anna University, Chennai, talked to the delegates about the achievements in the field of optical communication. Optical fibers and semiconductor lasers have brought about major changes in the field of communication, giving rise to a new discipline called fiber optic communication. He stated that a single optical fibre is able to carry the equivalent of 300 million simultaneousve, multimedia, internet services. From late 1970's, low signal-loss optical fibres are used for telephone calls. This new photonics technology enables, for the first time, sufficient capacity to meet the forecast demand for fully interactiaul undersea and terrestrial communications. By replacing copper cables with glass, new photonic networks span the globe with light highways that link cities, countries and continents and are capable of transmitting information via multiple channels of different wavelengths – just as broadcasting uses multiple TV and radio channels to transmit audio and visual information. Now-a-days it is possible to transmit the light signal for very long distances with out change in shape or loss of energy by a nonlinear phenomenon called “Soliton”. Now a days we use a number of photonic devices. Optical fibre is going to be one such device which is going to cater our day-to-day need. In a single hair-thin fibre we are going to get our telephone and fax connectivity, internet connectivity television connectivity, etc. Fibre optic sensors are going to replace conventional sensors shortly. In the much emerging field of photonics optical fibres play a very important role.

After the completion of each of the four presentations by the eminent authorities in the field of optical communication, there were question and answer sessions and the delegates  interacted with the resource persons and sought various clarifications.

At the close of the technical presentations, there was a valedictory function, and Mr. V.K. Sanjeevi, General Manager, BSNL, Madurai addressed the audience. He reiterated the importance of fiber optics in enhancing the efficiency of networks in communication technology.

There were nearly 60 delegates from 28 engineering colleges from Tamilnadu.  Greetings and congratulatory messages were received from eminent personalities, such as Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, Chairman of the UGC, Dr. V. Ramachandran, Vice Chancellor, Anna University, Tiruchy, & Shri V.K. Sanjeevi, General Manager, BSNL, Madurai.

The organizer of this seminar Dr. Suja Ravi Isaac, Head of the Department of Electronics and Communication said that seminars of this kind help the students and staff update themselves in the latest developments of technology, and inspire them towards research.