Nos dias de hoje o controle e monitoração de sistemas biológicos relacionados ao controle ambiental tem sido considerado importante para o diagnóstico e biorremediação de sistemas aquosos como rios e lagos. A eficácia dos processos de controle está diretamente relacionada aos processos de medição \"in-situ\" em tempo real. Nesse sentido o presente trabalho apresenta o desenvolvimento de sistemas multiespectrais portáteis para monitoramento, \"in-situ\" e em tempo real, da dinâmica do crescimento microbiano utilizados em processos de biorremediação. Assim, para este fim foram desenvolvidos dois sistemas, um para monitorar a concentração de oxigênio dissolvido (OD) em meio aquoso e outro para monitorar a absorção óptica do meio de cultura. O sensor óptico para monitorar a concentração de OD está baseado em uma fibra óptica na qual em uma de suas pontas (extremidades) foi depositado um filme fino de Poli (cloreto de vinila) (PVC) dopado com moléculas de octaetilporfirina de platina (PtOEP) como parte sensível do dispositivo. O sensor mostrou resposta linear em regiões entre 4 e 18 mg/L de OD em meio aquoso, tendo como tempo de resposta de 8 s e tempo de recuperação de 236 s. O sistema de medida de absorção óptica do meio de cultura foi projetado e fabricado utilizando-se um fotodetector multiespectral e um diodo LED (600nm) como fonte de excitação. A aquisição, controle e processamento de sinais deste sistema está baseado em uma placa de aquisição NI modelo myRIO-1900 fabricado pela National Instruments, utilizando-se tecnologia Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Os resultados obtidos com este sistema mostram ter o mesmo nível de desempenho se comparado ao de um sistema biofotométrico comercial na faixa de concentração entre 1,13 mg/ml à 2,11mg/ml. / Nowadays, the controlling and monitoring biological systems related to environmental control has been considered important for the diagnosis and bio-remediation of aqueous systems like rivers and lakes. The effectiveness of this control processes are directly related to \"in-situ\" and real-time measurement processes. In this sense the present work presents the development of portable multispectral systems for monitoring, \"in-situ\" and in real time, the dynamics of microbial growth used in bio-remediation processes. So, for this purpose were fabricated two systems, one to monitor the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in aqueous medium and another to monitor the optical absorption of culture medium. The optical sensor to monitor the DO is based on an optical fiber in which in one of its ends was deposited a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) thin film doped with Platinum octaethylphorphyrin molecules (PtOEP) as part of the device. The sensor showed linear response in regions between 4 and 18 mg/L of DO in aqueous medium, with response time of 8s and the recovery time of 236s. The system of measurement of optical absorption of culture medium was designed and manufactured using a multispectral photodetector and a diode LED (600nm) as a source of excitation. The acquisition, signal processing and control of this system are based on an acquisition card NI myRIO-1900 model manufactured by National Instruments, using FPGA technology. The results obtained with this system shows to have the same level of performance to that of a commercial biophotometric system in the concentration range of 1.13 mg/mL to 2.11 mg/mL.

Amplificadores a fibra dopada com érbio de dupla passagem (DP-EDFA) contendo fibras compensadoras de dispersão (DCF) são estudados nesta tese. Os DP-EDFAs são uma alternativa para amplificadores de baixo custo e bom desempenho, sobretudo para utilização em redes metropolitanas. Devido a sua estrutura de dupla passagem, outras funções podem ser facilmente inseridas em seu circuito óptico, incrementando sua funcionalidade e reduzindo o custo envolvido. Considerando ainda que a compensação da dispersão é crítica para sistemas WDM de alta velocidade, um interessante tópico de investigação, que será bastante explorado nesta tese, refere-se a embutir uma fibra compensadora de dispersão dentro no circuito do DP-EDFA. Estudos experimentais são conduzidos, mostrando as vantagens e os problemas associados a algumas topologias de circuitos de DP-EDFAs. Um circuito original de DP-EDFA contendo DCF é proposto e caracterizado em termos de ganho e figura de ruído para diversas aplicações multicanal e multibanda dentro do espectro de transmissão da fibra óptica. Caracterizações sistêmicas em termos de taxa de erro de bit são também conduzidas / Double pass erbium doped fiber amplifiers (DP-EDFA) with an embedded dispersion compensation fiber are studied in this work. DP-EDFA is a cost-effective alternative for optical amplifiers, yet preserving good optical performance, mainly for use in metropolitan networks. Due to its double pass circuit, others functions beyond amplification can be inserted within the amplification circuit, increasing its capabilities and decreasing the involved cost. Considering that dispersion compensation is very critical for high-speed DWDM systems operating with standard single mode fiber, a timely topic of investigation concerns the embedding of the high insertion loss DCFs (dispersion compensating fibers) into optical amplifier configurations. Experimental studies are conducted first showing the advantages and impairments associated with DP-EDFAs circuits using DCFs. Next, a DP-EDFA proposed in this work is characterized in terms of gain and noise figure for several applications in multichannel and multiband network topologies. Systemic characterization in terms of bit error rate is also conducted, evaluating the performance of the proposed DP-EDFA using DCF

Este trabalho de doutoramento propôs investigar novas configurações geométricas para as fibras ópticas microestruturadas a base de sílica. Aproveitando-se da flexibilidade que sua geometria proporciona, diferentes das fibras ópticas convencionais, foram propostas fibras ópticas microestruturadas com perfil tipo D atuando, especificamente, em duas aplicações distintas: fibras compensadoras de dispersão ou fibras altamente birrefringentes. Para o estudo teórico das fibras ópticas microestruturadas foram utilizados dois métodos numéricos: o método da Sobre-Relaxação Sucessiva (SOR) e o método de Arnoldi Implicitamente Reiniciado (IRAM). Foi necessário implementar o método IRAM para determinar os modos de mais alta ordem presentes em guias de onda multimodos, uma vez que o método SOR fornece apenas a solução para o modo fundamental. Neste contexto, as fibras ópticas microestruturadas com perfil D, propostas e investigadas neste trabalho, demonstraram ser extremamente promissoras para atuar na compensação da dispersão cromática ou no aumento do efeito da birrefringência. Foram projetadas fibras capazes de compensar a dispersão em banda larga, cobrindo as bandas de telecomunicações S, C e L, ou, ainda, fibras com um alto coeficiente de dispersão negativo em torno do comprimento de onda de 1550nm. Adicionalmente, verificou-se também que com as novas configurações propostas foi possível projetar fibras com elevado grau de birrefringência, sendo atrativas no projeto de fibras mantedoras do estado de polarização. / This work proposed to investigate new geometric configurations for the silica microstructured optical fibers. Based on their design flexibility, not usually found in conventional silica fibers, D-shape microstructured optical fibers were designed, specifically, for two different applications: dispersion compensation or high birefringence. For the theoretical analysis two numerical methods were used: the finite difference Successive Over Relaxation (SOR) method, and the Implicitly Restarted Arnoldi Method (IRAM). It was necessary to develop the IRAM method to determine the higher order modes inside the multimodo optical waveguide, since the SOR method is able to yield only the fundamental mode. In this framework, the D-shape microstructured optical fibers, which have been proposed and investigated in this work, proved to be extremely efficient for chromatic dispersion compensation and increasing the birefringent effect. Fibers have been designed in order to compensate the wideband dispersion, covering three entire telecommunication bands, namely: S-, C- and L- bands, simultaneously. Additionally, with these new proposed configurations it is possible to design high birefringent fibers, which are very attractive in polarization maintaining applications.

The growing demand for faster connection to the Internet service and wireless multimedia applications has motivated the development of broadband wireless access technologies in recent years. WiMAX has enabled convergence of mobile and fixed broadband networks through a common wide-area radio-access technology and flexible network architecture. Scheduling is a fundamental component in resource management in WiMAX networks and plays the main role in meeting QoS requirements such as delay, throughput and packet loss for different classes of service. In this dissertation work, the performance of uplink schedulers at the fixed WiMAX MAC layer has been considered, we proposed an Adaptive Hierarchical Weighted Fair Queuing Scheduling algorithm, the new scheduling algorithm adapts to changes in traffic, at the same time; it is able to heuristically enhance the performance of WiMAX network under most circumstances. The heuristic nature of this scheduling algorithm enables the MAC layer to meet the QoS requirements of the users. The performance of this adaptive WiMAX Uplink algorithm has been evaluated by simulation using MATLAB. Results indicate that the algorithm is efficient in scheduling the Base Stations’ traffic loads, and improves QoS. The utilization of relay stations is studied and simulation results are compared with the case without using relay stations. The results show that the proposed scheduling algorithm improves Quality of Service of WiMAX system. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Des méthodes de modulation et de détection de la lumière originales ont été étudiées afin d’améliorer la performance des systèmes de transmission optique longue distance. Des formats de modulation multiplexés en polarisation, utilisant plusieurs niveaux de phase ont été étudiés en particulier. La détection cohérente associée à un traitement numérique du signal a également été choisie au niveau de la réception afin d’optimiser la performance du système. Cela permet notamment de compenser de façon très efficace les distorsions linéaires introduites par la propagation dans le fibre optique, telles que la dispersion chromatique et la dispersion modales de polarisation. Après propagation sur grande distance, le rapport signal à bruit devient une limitation importante. L’autre limitation provient des interactions non linéaire entre la lumière et la fibre optique qui limitent la puissance maximale que l’on peut injecter dans la fibre optique.La première transmission multiplexée en longueur d’onde sur grandes distances (>1000km) utilisant la détection cohérente a notamment été démontrée.Afin de minimiser l’impact de ces effets non linéaires, différentes stratégies ont été proposées et investiguées. L’impact du multiplexage de polarisation a notamment été quantifié dans des configuration où la dispersion chromatique de la fibre est compensée régulièrement dans la liaison et dans le cas où elle n’est compensée qu’en fin de liaison de façon numérique.La proposition d’utiliser un format de modulation à 2 niveaux de phase ainsi que les algorithmes permettant de le détecter ont été fait. Le gain de performance obtenu par rapport à la solution conventionnelle à 4 niveaux de phase a été montré.Au débit de 100Gb/s, la démonstration de la première transmission sur des distances transocéanique a également été faite.Ces travaux de recherche ont été notamment utilisés pour définir puis développer des produits Alcatel-Lucent qui sont maintenant commercialisés, à 40Gb/s en utilisant un format de modulation multiplexé en polarisation à deux niveaux de phase, et à 100Gb/s en utilisant un format multiplexé en polarisation à quatre niveaux de phase. / Modulation and detection methods have been studied to improve the performance of optical long distance communication systems. Polarization division multiplexed modulation and multilevel phase modulation format have been evaluated. Coherent detection associated with digital signal processing has been selected at the receiver side to optimize system performance. This receiver design allows especially to compensate linear distortions induced by fiber optics propagation very efficiently. After long distance propagation, optical signal to noise ratio is a major limitation. The other main limitation comes from non linear interactions of light and fiber optics which put a limit on the maximum power to be injected within fiber optics.The first wavelength division multiplexed transmission over long distances (>1000km) using coherent detection has been demonstrated.Various strategies have been proposed to minimize the impact of non linear effect. The impact of polarisation multiplexing has been quantified in configuration where chromatic dispersion is either regularly optically compensated within the line or digitally compensated at the receiver end.The proposition to use a polarization multiplexed format using only 2 phase levels as well as the algorithms capable to detect them has been done. The performance gain obtained compared to the convention solution using 4 phase levels has been demonstrated.At 100Gb/s bit rate, the demonstration of the first transmission over trans-oceanic distance has also been done.These research work have been used to define and then develop Alcatel-Lucent products which are now commercialized, at 40Gb/s by using a polarization multiplexed and 2 phase levels modulation format, and at 100Gb/s by using a polarization multiplexed 4 phase levels format.

Neste trabalho é investigada uma nova classe de fibras ópticas, baseada no conceito de cristais fotônicos, denominada fibra microestruturada. Sua geometria particular, com materiais de diferentes índices de refração estruturados de forma periódica, permite uma alta flexibilidade de projeto. Consegue-se, portanto, ajustar, conforme a necessidade, as propriedades de dispersão, área efetiva, perdas por confinamento, entre outras, o que torna estas fibras especialmente úteis para aplicações em comunicações ópticas. Para o estudo das propriedades das fibras microestruturadas foi implementado, em diferenças finitas, o método numérico da sobre relaxação sucessiva - SOR com as três aproximações possíveis para a equação de Helmholtz: escalar, semivetorial e vetorial completa. Adicionalmente, no intuito de melhorar alguns aspectos do formalismo SOR, como precisão e velocidade de convergência, foi proposta a aproximação em diferenças finitas de quarta ordem. / This work investigates a new class of optical fibers based on the photonic crystal concept. The main advantage of these fibers is the flexibility offered by their particular geometry, which is formed by materials of different refractive index periodically arranged in a specific pattern. The dispersion properties of these microstructured optical fibers are analyzed by using the finite difference Successive Over Relaxation (SOR) method, where three different formalisms are implemented under the scalar, semivectorial and full vectorial approximations. Finally, a fourth order approximation for the SOR method is proposed in order to improve the convergence and precision.

FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / Serà estudado nesta dissertaÃÃo o comportamento da propagaÃÃo de trÃs tipos de pulsos Ãpticos (Solitons, Quasisolitons e Gaussianos) ultracurtos na regiÃo de 1.55μm e a eficiÃncia de conversÃo destes na geraÃÃo de pulsos por meio do fenÃmeno nÃo-linear de mistura de quatro ondas (FWM) em uma fibra comum e em fibras com dispersÃo decrescente em sistemas multiplexados por divisÃo de comprimento de onda (WDM). Para tal usamos seis diferentes perfis de dispersÃo; Constante, Linear, LogarÃtmico, Gaussiano, Exponencial e HiperbÃlico; nas simulaÃÃes da propagaÃÃo dos pulsos atravÃs de 100 Km de fibras.Na anÃlise dos resultados observamos que a eficiÃncia de conversÃo decai quando aumentamos a separaÃÃo entre os canais independentemente do perfil. Dentre estes perfis para os trÃs tipos de pulsos quando na separaÃÃo de canal de 0.2nm o HiperbÃlico apresentou a maior eficiÃncia, sendo de aproximadamente 1000 vezes maior em magnitude se comparada aos perfis Constante, Linear e LogarÃtmico.Para o pulso Gaussiano, exceto pelo perfil HiperbÃlico todos os outros perfis apresentaram a mesma eficiÃncia a partir da separaÃÃo de 0.675nm. Os pulsos Soliton e Quasisoliton tambÃm apresentam tal exceÃÃo no perfil Exponencial. A eficiÃncia de conversÃo ao longo do comprimento da fibra foi analisada para os trÃs tipos de pulsos em cada um dos seis perfis. Em todos os tipos de pulsos os perfis que apresentaram maior eficiÃncia de conversÃo, em ordem decrescente foram o HiperbÃlico, o Exponencial e o Gaussiano. Os outros trÃs, Constante, Linear e LogarÃtmico, apresentaram eficiÃncias muito prÃximas nos trÃs tipos de pulsos. Durante a propagaÃÃo observamos a presenÃa de pulsos gerados pela instabilidade modulacional para os trÃs tipos de pulsos nos perfis Constante, Linear, LogarÃtmico, Gaussiano e Exponencial. Entretanto apÃs percorrido aproximadamente 20Km a instabilidade modulacional desaparece nos trÃs primeiros perfis e nos outros dois o fenÃmeno permanece atà o final da propagaÃÃo na maioria dos casos. Em todos os casos estudados houve um aumento da eficiÃncia de conversÃo do pulso no canal 3 quando do incremento da potÃncia dos pulsos incidentes nos canais 1 e 4. A anÃlise do fator de compressÃo mostrou que os pulsos Soliton e Quasisoliton no canal 1 apresentaram alargamento na maioria dos perfis. E o pulso Gaussiano no canal 1 sà apresentou alargamento no perfil HiperbÃlico. No canal 4 o pulso Soliton sà apresentou compressÃo no perfil HiperbÃlico, o pulso Quasisoliton apresentou alargamento somente nos perfis Exponencial e Constante, no pulso Gaussiano todos os perfis apresentaram compressÃo, exceto o Constante que ao fim da propagaÃÃo obteve o mesmo valor que no inÃcio desta. A compressÃo do pulso gerado no canal 3 em todos os casos apresentou uma forte oscilaÃÃo nos primeiros 20 Km propagados e nos pulsos Soliton e Quasisoliton o perfil Gaussiano apresentou uma variaÃÃo brusca depois de percorrido 60 Km e estabilizando-se antes do fim da propagaÃÃo. / This dissertation will study the behavior of the propagation of three types of optical pulses (Solitons, Quasisolitons and Gaussianos, short ultra in the area of 1.55μm) and their efficiencies of conversion in the generation of pulses through the non linear phenomenon of four waves mixture (FWM) in a common fiber and in fibers with decreasing dispersion in systems multiplexados by wavelength division (WDM). Six different dispersion profiles were used during the simulations of propagation of the pulses through 100km of fibers: Constant, Linear, Logarithmic, Gaussiano, Exponential and Hyperbolic. The analysis of the results concluded that the efficiency of conversion declines when he/she increases the separation of the channels independently of the profile. The Hyperbolic profiles presented the largest efficiency when in the separation of channel of 0.2nm, being of approximately 1000 times larger in magnitude if compared to the other profiles Constant, Lineal and Logarithmic. In the pulse Gaussiano all profiles presented the same efficiency starting from the separation of 0.675nm, except for the Hyperbolic profile. While in the Soliton and Quasisoliton pulses, the Exponential profiel also presents such exception. The conversion efficiency along the length of the fiber was analyzed for the three types of pulses for each one of the six profiles. For all of the types of pulses the profiles that presented larger efficiency in decreasing order were, the Hyperbolic, the Exponential and Gaussiano. The other three, Constant, Lineal and Logarithmic, presented very close efficiencies for the three types of pulses. The presence of pulses generated by the instability modulacional for the three types of pulses in the profiles Constant, Lineal, Logarithmic, Gaussiano and Exponential was observed during the propagation. After travelling approximately 20Km the instability modulacional disappears in the first three profiles in all types of pulses while in the other two profiles the phenomenon stays until the end of the propagation in most of the cases. There was an increase of the efficiency of the conversion of the pulse in the channel 3 when of the increment of the potency of the incident pulses in the channels 1 and 4 in all the three types of pulses in each one of the six profiles. The analysis of the compression factor indicated that the pulse generated in the channel 3 by mixture of four waves (FWM) and the incident pulse in the channel 4 always presented compression during the propagation. The incident pulse in the channel 1 also presented compression in most of the profiles and in the Hyperbolic profile it presented strong enlargement attributed to the loss of energy. In the pulse generated in the channel 3 in all of the cases a strong oscillation was observed in the first 20 Km while in the Soliton and Quasisoliton pulses the Gaussian profile presented an abrupt variation after traveling 60 Km and being stabilized before the end of the propagation. This analysis concludes that the control of the efficiency of conversion and of the compression factor in the generation of mixture of four waves is made possible by the use of fiber optic with decreasing dispersion.

Dans le domaine du nucléaire, les techniques actuelles de mesure de radiation n’offrent pas la possibilité d’effectuer un contrôle le long d’un objet filaire. Le projet Droïd a pour but de développer un dosimètre linéique utilisant une fibre optique comme élément sensible. L’atténuation radio-induite (ARI) du guide d’onde, lue par réflectométrie optique, permet non seulement de quantifier, mais également de localiser le dépôt de dose le long de la fibre. Chaque portion du câble fait alors office de capteur de rayonnement. Il est envisageable d’effectuer des mesures réparties sur de longues distances (plusieurs dizaines de mètres) et d’obtenir des cartographies de dose en une, deux ou trois dimensions selon la disposition de l’objet dans l’espace. Le projet se structure en deux volets. Le premier est le développement d’une fibre optique hautement sensible aux radiations. En effet, les technologies commerciales standard ne le sont pas suffisamment pour des applications comme la radioprotection du personnel dans le milieu du nucléaire. Définir la composition chimique de la fibre permet de maîtriser sa réponse aux rayonnements. Le second volet du projet concerne la modélisation liant l’atténuation radio-induite à la dose reçue par le guide d’onde. Dans le cas général d’une fibre avec fading, le développement et l’inversion d’un modèle non linéaire sont primordiaux pour le bon fonctionnement du dosimètre et constituent un verrou scientifique majeur à lever. / In the nuclear domain, current radiation monitoring techniques do not offer the possibility to locally determine the dose received by a wire along its path. The purpose of the Droïd project is to develop a linear dosimeter based on an optical fiber as a sensitive element. The Radiation-Induced Attenuation (RIA) of the waveguide, read by optical reflectometry, can be used not only to quantify, but also to locate the dose deposition along the fiber. Each portion of the cable acts as a radiation sensor. It becomes possible to make measurements over long distances (several tens of meters) and to obtain dose maps in one, two or three dimensions depending on the spatial arrangement of the fiber. The project is structured in two parts. The first one is the development of an optical fiber that is highly sensitive to radiation. Indeed, standard commercial technologies are not reactive enough for applications such as staff radioprotection. Defining the chemical composition of the fiber permits to master its behavior under radiation. The second part of the project deals with modeling the non-linear relationship between the RIA and the dose received by the waveguide. In the general case of a sensor with fading, building and inverting such a model are a requirement for the final device and constitute a major scientific challenge.

La demande en capacité liée à la transmission de tout type d’information (voix, vidéos, données, etc.) ne cesse de croître. Afin de répondre à cette demande croissante, de nouvelles générations de systèmes de communication multiplexés en longueur d’onde transmettant des débits élevés d’information par canal (100 Gbit/s ou plus) doivent être conçues. En plus des fibres ayant de très faibles pertes, des amplificateurs à fibre dopée à l’Erbium et du multiplexage en longueur d’onde, des technologies sont mises en place, comme notamment le multiplexage en polarisation, la détection cohérente, les formats de modulation multi-niveaux et plus récemment le multiplexage spatial. Des interrogations résident sur l’impact du multiplexage en polarisation ainsi qu’un développement vers des formats de modulation plus évolués incluant modulation de phase et multiplexage en polarisation. Dans cette thèse, afin de contribuer à l’augmentation du produit capacité x distance dans les systèmes de transmission Nx100 Gbit/s par fibre optique également multiplexés en polarisation et utilisant la détection cohérente, nous avons étudié d’une part, la mise en forme spectrale des signaux à l’émission pour augmenter la densité spectrale d’information (ISD: Information Spectral density). Dans cette optique, nous avons étudié l’impact du filtrage étroit gaussien du second ordre et de la mise en forme spectrale en racine de cosinus surélevé (RRC: Root Raised Cosine) sur les signaux émis dans le cas de modulations en Polarization Division Multiplexed-Quaternary Phase Shift Keying (PDM-QPSK) et Polarization-Switched-Quaternary Phase Shift Keying (PS-QPSK). Ceci a été réalisé en simulation numérique en considérant un espacement spectral entre les différents canaux variable. Nous avons montré qu’en tenant compte à la fois du facteur de qualité maximal et de la densité spectrale d’information, l’application de la mise en forme RRC sur des signaux modulés en PS-QPSK, fournit de meilleures performances de transmission dans une configuration où toute la dispersion est compensée en fin de propagation, pour toutes les valeurs d’espacement spectral étudiées. D’autre part, nous nous sommes intéressés aux effets non-linéaires qui limitent la portée de ces systèmes en dégradant pendant la propagation, les symboles émis, par les interactions entre des symboles d’un même canal, entre canaux ou modes de polarisation. La compréhension et la réduction de l’impact des effets non-linéaires est indispensable lorsqu’on veut utiliser certaines technologies pour augmenter la densité spectrale d’information. L’utilisation du multiplexage en polarisation par exemple, se heurte aux dégradations causées par les effets non-linéaires car de nouvelles interactions entre symboles sont présentes pendant la propagation. Par conséquent le développement des futurs systèmes ayant des débits plus élevés de 400 Gbit/s et 1 Tbit/s par canal passe par une diminution de l’impact des effets non-linéaires. Nous avons établi dans ce travail de thèse, des règles de conception permettant de réduire l’impact des effets non-linéaires entre polarisation dans les systèmes de transmission optiques considérés / The ever-increasing demand of capacity in very high bit rate coherent optical transmission systems has paved the way towards the investigation of several techniques such as the use of ultra-low loss fibers, Erbium doped fiber amplifiers, polarization and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), coherent detection, multi-level modulation formats, spatial division multiplexing, etc. However, there are questions concerning polarization division multiplexing and a development towards some advanced modulation formats including phase modulation and polarization division multiplexing. In this thesis, in order to increase the capacity-by-distance product of future optical coherent systems using wavelength and polarization division multiplexing, we first study spectral shaping of the transmitted signals to increase the information spectral density. For this purpose, we have numerically investigated the multi-channel transmission performance of Polarization Switched Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (PSQPSK) and we have compared it to the performance of Polarization-Division-Multiplexed QPSK (PDM-QPSK), using Root Raised Cosine (RRC) spectral shaping, in the context of a flexible channel grid. In addition we have presented the advantage of PS-QPSK against PDM-QPSK as a function of the system parameters, while we have also discussed the benefit of a RRC spectral shaping against a tight filtering at the transmitter side with a 2nd order super-Gaussian-shaped filter. Furthermore, we have focused on nonlinear effects that limit the transmission distance by degrading the transmitted symbols during propagation. Analyzing and reducing the impact of nonlinear effects is essential when using technologies that increase the information spectral density such as polarization division multiplexing which causes new nonlinear effects due to additional interactions between symbols during the propagation through the fiber. Therefore a reduction of the impact of nonlinear effects is necessary for the development of future systems with higher bit rates of 400 Gbit/s and 1 Tbit/s per channel. We have established in this thesis, design rules to reduce the impact of nonlinear effects in the optical WDM transmission systems at 100 Gbit/s per channel that use polarization multiplexing

Optical fiber sensors have already been developed from the experimental stage to practical applications in the past 20 years. There is no doubt that this technology can bring a wealth of applications, ranging from sensors in medical industry, aerospace and wind-energy industries, through to distributed sensors in oil and gas industry. Among a large amount of physical and chemical parameters which optical fiber sensors could measure, temperature and strain are the most widely studied. This thesis presents several low-cost optical fiber sensor configurations primarily for temperature and strain measurement. Several basic optical fiber components which are good candidates as optical fiber sensors are used in our experiments, such as fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), multimode fibers (MMFs), small-core dispersion compensation fibers (SCDCFs), high-birefringence fiber loop mirrors (HBFLMs), and polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fibers (PMPCFs). Temperature and strain cross sensitivity is a crucial issue when designing high performance optical fiber sensors, since most of the sensing components are both sensitive to temperature and strain. This would introduce an error when measuring each of them independently. We developed several schemes to overcome this problem by cascading an FBG and a section of MMF, inserting an FBG into an HBFLM, and space division multiplexing two HBFLMs. By measuring the wavelength shifts of the two independent components' spectra in each scheme, simultaneous measurement of temperature and strain could be achieved. However, all the above schemes need optical spectrum analyzers to monitor the spectral information, which increases the cost of the system and limits the operation speed. In order to avoid using optical spectrum analyzers, we use an intensity-based interrogation method with MMFs and HBFLMs as edge filters. By measuring power ratio changes, instead of monitoring spectra shifts, simultaneous measurement of temperature and strain could be realized with a low cost and high speed. The resolutions of the above five configurations are between 0.26 - 1.2 ^oC in temperature and 9.21 - 29.5 με in strain, which are sufficient for certain applications. We also investigate the sensing applications with the SCDCF. Since the cutoff wavelength of this kind of fiber is around 1663 nm, which makes it naturally an MMF in the wavelength range of 1550 nm. By slightly offsetting the core of the SCDCF with respect to that of the standard single-mode fiber (SMF), a high extinction ratio could be achieved with almost 9 dB. When a lateral force (lateral strain) applied on the SCDCF, extinction ratio will decrease. The change of the extinction ratio is almost independent of temperature variation. The measured extinction ratio change has a good quadratic relationship with respect to applied lateral force. This feature could be used to measure lateral force (lateral strain). In addition, we also use this feature to realize simultaneous measurement of both the longitudinal strain and lateral strain, since the applied longitudinal strain results in the whole spectrum shift. Moreover, a miniature high temperature sensor could also be made using the SCDCF. One end of a 4-mm long SCDCF is spliced directly to SMF with the other end cleaved. By monitoring the reflection spectrum of the SCDCF, temperature information could be obtained. This sensing head is very compact and could realize high temperature measurement up to 600 ^oC. Recently, a kind of PMPCF has been found to have very small responses to temperature change. This offers an opportunity to measure other parameters without considering temperature influence. We construct a compact 7-mm long transmission-type sensor with this kind of PMPCF. The interference spectrum generated by the coupling of cladding modes and core mode is obtained by slightly offsetting the PMPCF core to SMF core. The experiment shows that the interference spectrum is almost unchanged within the temperature range of 25-60 ^oC. The presented sensor has the potential to be used to measure strain and refractive index in the normal environment without temperature discrimination for practical applications.