Optical Communications

Telecommunication has not only infiltrated our daily lives, it has also become a very important part of it. From the phone calls we make on a daily basis to the emails that we send, it is all a part of telecommunication.

Most people believe that telecommunication only came about with the advent of the radio, telegraph, or the telephone. What many don’t realize is that it has been around for thousands of years. One of telecommunications earliest forms is optical communication.

Optics today are closely related with the use of optical fiber and the impressive speed by which they transfer data. However, the term optical communication covers a wide range of communication types. It can be as simple as waving to someone across the street. In the past, messages were conveyed with the use or visual signals - smoke signals are an example of this.

Other forms of optical communication, both ancient and modern, include the heliograph, semaphore lines, beacon fires, ship flags, sign language, body language, distress flares, lighthouses, navigation lights, Aldis lamps, optical fiber, and so much more. In essence, optical communication involves anything that is perceived by the eye.

Most of the above mentioned make use of non-technological means of optical communication. An example of technological optical telecommunication makes use of optical fiber. Communication with optical fiber is one of today’s more common type of technological optical communication. It is also known as fiber-optic communication.

Fiber optic communication makes use of optical fiber links. Communication on these channels is mainly achieved with the help of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Infrared lighting is also used more than visible light. These pathways make use of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers to help them transmit data at longer distances without the need for signal regeneration.

Another example of telecommunication using optical methods is Free-Space Optical Communication. This is commonly used for disaster recovery (in the case of high-speed connections), crossing roads and other barriers, LAN to LAN connections, and more.