The pretest aims to assess student prerequisite knowledge necessary for learning and thus ensures students having a good chance to pass this unit. This test therefore provides a means to gauge the student level to provide some awareness of the student shortcomings for better learning support. The test is multiple choice in format and aims to test basic knowledge of signals and systems, communications engineering and some mathematics foundations. Although this test does not contribute any mark to the unit's final result, students who fail to attend the pretest will also fail the unit.

This test aims to assess students' prior knowledge that is necessary for effective learning of this unit. The basic electrical engineering concepts will be tested. The test result will provide students with feedback on areas that they need further support or self-learning to ensure that they have a better chance to pass this unit successfully.

The online test is designed to assess understanding and application of the materials covered between Week 1 and Week 5. This test comprises of several multiple-choice questions and will be timed. Some of the questions require students to perform a design or calculations to arrive at the correct answer. Please ensure that the instructions accompanied the test are carefully read and fully understood prior to commencing the test. The test ends automatically when the test time elapses and therefore it is advisable that students move promptly to the next question if getting stuck. PLEASE NOTE that there is only ONE attempt of the test is allowed and therefore the test must be completed in one sitting. Students are advised to start the test only when fully ready i.e. after having fully reviewed the necessary materials.

The online test aims to assess understanding and applications of the materials covered between Week 1 and Week 5 of term inclusively. In particular, the test will include questions relating to the following topics:

• Introduction to optical fibre communications
• Introduction to optical fibre
• Optical sources: Lasers and LEDs
• Optical receivers: PIN and Avalanche photodetectors
• Introduction to VPIphotonics Design Suite

The laboratory exercises aim to provide students with an hand-on experience with optical fibre components and systems. The laboratory consists of several exercises and will be carried out during Week 6 of term. Students will work in group to perform several experiments, observe and record the results and write up a lab report to discuss their findings. Although only one lab report is required, each student must clearly nominate a specific part of the report that they are responsible for. Collaborations among the students are therefore encouraged to ensure mutual learning and the best possible mark for the group. Students who do not contribute to the laboratory report by providing their parts will receive zero mark.

The detailed marking allocation will be provided within the laboratory document. The assessment criteria focus on the technical details and the demonstration of understanding and the application of knowledge. There are also a few marks allocated for presentation and technical writing. Only one report must be submitted per group. No mark will be given for a report without an accompanied team responsibility matrix. IMPORTANCE: Please be reminded that the lab report has a minimum required pass grade of 40% which means if you achieve less than this minimum grade, you (and often the entire group) will immediately fail the unit.

This task requires students to work in a group and using VPI Photonics Design Suite to simulate a sophisticated optical system and also preparing a report to communicate their findings. The project consists of two components. The first component is the group work where students work together to complete a system design. The second component is individual work where each student studies a distinct, predefined aspect of the designed system. Students must work together to produce a single coherent report since only one group report is required for submission. The project marking will be carried out in two parts. The marking for the first part - the group work will be the same for all group members while the marking for the second part will be the individual student work and thus the mark often varies from student to student. To achieve the best possible mark, students must do well in both parts of the reports. It is essential that a team responsibility matrix is submitted together with the report and clearly states the individual student contributions. This project has a minimum passed mark of 45 out of 100. Students must therefore achieve this minimum mark in the project to pass the unit.

The detailed marking criteria is provided in the project description document. Students shall investigate a sophisticated optical system using VPI Photonics Design Suite and prepare a report of their findings. Only one report is required per group. The assessment criteria will focus on technical details and demonstration of understanding and applications of knowledge. There are also a few marks reserved for technical writing and report presentation. To encourage equal contribution to the project, a team responsibility matrix must be submitted together with the report. Students who do not contribute to the project work by providing their parts will receive zero mark for this project. IMPORTANCE: Please be reminded that the project has a minimum required passed mark of 45% which means that if students achieve less than this minimum mark, they will immediately fail the unit.

The final online test will be a form of several short questions. The questions are relating to the entire scope of materials taught in the term and require students to apply knowledge and skills developed in the unit to answer. Students will have three hours (180 minutes) of working and 15 minutes at the start of the test for reading. The answers entered online during the test will be automatically submitted at the end of the test, none-attempted questions will be submitted without an answer and receive no mark.

Detailed instructions are provided with the online final test at the start of the test. The final test will cover the entire unit materials and it is intended to test student understanding and applications of the knowledge taught in this unit. Students must achieve at least 50% marks for the final online test to pass the unit.