Component which drops one of the signals
from a signal burst (consisting of multiple
wavelengths), which is travelling along a fiber,
and injects a new signal of the same wavelength.

Component that attenuates the intensity of the light
passing through the component.

Axis of symmetry of an optical system

Optical wavelength band for optical wavelengthdivision
multiplex transmission.

Method of transmitting messages using light.

Optical switch with N inputs and N outputs.
It can guide an optical signal, which enters
at any input port, to any output port.

Non-reciprocal, passive optical component with low
insertion loss in the forward direction and high insertion
loss in the reverse direction. The optical isolator
is capable of greatly suppressing power return loss.
The main part of an optical isolator is the Faraday rotator,
which makes use of the magneto-optic effect.

Return loss

Dielectric waveguide whose core is made of optically
transparent material of low attenuation and whose
cladding is made of optically transparent material with
a lower refractive index than that of the core. It is used
for transmitting signals by means of electromagnetic
waves in the range of the optical frequencies.

Functional module that technically combines
electronic, optical and optoelectronic components
on a shared substrate (GaAs, InP).
Optoelectronic regenerator
Intermediate amplifier in fiber sections

Intermediate amplifier in fiber sections which amplifiers
the signal using optoelectronic conversion, regenerates
it in terms of time, pulse shape and amplitude
and converts it back to an optical signal (3R regenerator:
retiming, reshaping, reamplification). 2R function
at low bit rates (no retiming). 1R function: signal
amplification only.

External modulation