BAB II WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology originated as a solution to limitations in optical fiber systems, particularly as the growth of traffic in various backbone networks accelerated, rapidly filling network capacity. This concept, first published in 1970, saw practical realization in laboratory settings by 1978, starting with systems that could combine only two signals. Over time, multiple systems have successfully accommodated various wavelengths within a single optical fiber, achieving capacities between 2.5 Gbps and 5 Gbps. However, the use of WDM introduced new challenges, such as fiber nonlinearity and significant dispersion effects, limiting the number of wavelengths to typically 2-8. Subsequent developments in technology led to the Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), allowing for dozens of wavelengths with individual capacities around 10 Gbps. WDM technology serves as a transparent transport medium for multiple types of traffic (data, voice, and video) using different wavelengths within a single fiber simultaneously. The popularity of WDM lies in its ability to enhance network capacity without the need for additional fiber, being applicable to both long-haul and short-haul networks.