In optical fibers, how do dispersion factors affect the bit error rate (BER) and effective bandwidth?

In optical fibers, dispersion refers to the spreading of light pulses as they travel through the fiber. This phenomenon occurs because different wavelengths of light travel at slightly different speeds. As a result, dispersion can lead to overlapping signals, which complicates the ability to differentiate between bits of data at the receiving end.

When dispersion factors are high, the signals can become distorted, resulting in an increase in the bit error rate (BER). This is because the overlap and blending of the pulses make it more difficult for the receiver to accurately interpret the data being transmitted. Thus, increased dispersion can lead to a higher likelihood of errors in the received data.

Additionally, dispersion negatively impacts the effective bandwidth. The effective bandwidth is the rate at which data can be successfully transmitted without errors. As dispersion increases and leads to more errors, the effective bandwidth decreases, because the system must operate at a lower data rate to maintain acceptable error levels.

Therefore, high dispersion factors in optical fibers correspond to an increase in BER and a decrease in effective bandwidth, confirming that the correct answer identifies these relationships accurately.