Optoelectronics MCQs January 8, 2026July 11, 2024 by u930973931_answers 50 min Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. What is the primary function of an optocoupler? (A) Transmit electrical signals wirelessly (B) Convert optical signals to electrical signals (C) Isolate electrical circuits (D) Amplify electrical signals 2. Which material is commonly used as a semiconductor in light-emitting diodes (LEDs)? (A) Copper (B) Silicon (C) Gallium arsenide (D) Aluminum 3. The phenomenon of converting light energy into electrical energy is known as: (A) Electroluminescence (B) Photovoltaic effect (C) Photoconductivity (D) Quantum tunneling 4. Which of the following is a type of optoelectronic sensor used for detecting objects without physical contact? (A) Solar cell (B) Photodiode (C) Light-dependent resistor (LDR) (D) Photoelectric sensor 5. Which device is used to modulate an optical signal for communication purposes? (A) Photovoltaic cell (B) Laser diode (C) Phototransistor (D) Avalanche photodiode 6. In fiber optics, what is the function of a coupler? (A) Amplify the optical signal (B) Split the optical signal into multiple paths (C) Convert optical signal to electrical signal (D) Control the wavelength of light 7. Which of the following optical devices is used to combine multiple optical signals into a single fiber? (A) Optical isolator (B) Optical circulator (C) Optical attenuator (D) Optical amplifier 8. What is the term for the maximum angle at which light can enter the core of an optical fiber and still be guided down the fiber? (A) Refractive index (B) Numerical aperture (C) Critical angle (D) Wavelength dispersion 9. Avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are primarily used in optical receivers because they: (A) Produce coherent light (B) Provide high gain (C) Operate at low voltages (D) Emit light efficiently 10. Which of the following is a characteristic of a PIN photodiode? (A) High capacitance (B) Low sensitivity (C) Fast response time (D) Low dark current 11. The bandgap energy of a semiconductor determines: (A) Its color when emitting light (B) Its efficiency as a solar cell (C) Its electrical conductivity (D) Its ability to absorb light 12. In a laser diode, stimulated emission occurs when: (A) Electrons recombine with holes (B) Electrons move to a lower energy level (C) Photons induce electron transitions (D) Photons are absorbed by the material 13. Which type of modulator uses the electro-optic effect to change the refractive index of a material? (A) Acousto-optic modulator (B) Electro-absorption modulator (C) Mach-Zehnder modulator (D) Polarization modulator 14. Optical isolators are used in fiber optic systems to: (A) Amplify the optical signal (B) Convert optical signals to electrical signals (C) Prevent reflected light from interfering with the source (D) Split the optical signal into multiple paths 15. What is the purpose of using graded-index fibers in optical communications? (A) To reduce dispersion (B) To increase attenuation (C) To improve bandwidth (D) To enhance modal noise 16. Which of the following is a disadvantage of using LEDs for optical communications compared to laser diodes? (A) Higher power consumption (B) Narrower bandwidth (C) Lower efficiency (D) Incoherent light emission 17. Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) integrate multiple optical components on a single chip to: (A) Increase manufacturing cost (B) Decrease power efficiency (C) Reduce device size and complexity (D) Limit wavelength versatility 18. In an optical fiber, what causes modal dispersion? (A) Absorption of light by the fiber material (B) Reflection of light at the fiber core-cladding interface (C) Different propagation speeds of different modes (D) Non-linear effects in the fiber material 19. Which material is commonly used as a cladding in optical fibers? (A) Glass (B) Copper (C) Plastic (D) Silicon 20. What is the typical function of an optical attenuator? (A) To amplify the optical signal (B) To block unwanted light (C) To adjust the intensity of the optical signal (D) To convert optical signals to electrical signals 21. Which optical component is used to change the polarization state of light? (A) Polarization beam splitter (B) Optical coupler (C) Optical isolator (D) Optical amplifier 22. The refractive index of a medium determines: (A) The speed of light in that medium (B) The polarization state of light (C) The color of light emitted (D) The intensity of light absorbed 23. What type of sensor is commonly used in optical mice to detect surface movements? (A) Phototransistor (B) Photodiode (C) Photoresistor (D) Photomultiplier tube 24. Which of the following optical devices is used to split an incoming optical signal into two or more output signals? (A) Optical circulator (B) Optical attenuator (C) Optical splitter (D) Optical filter 25. What is the purpose of an optical amplifier in fiber optic communication? (A) To convert optical signals to electrical signals (B) To filter out noise from the optical signal (C) To increase the intensity of the optical signal (D) To control the wavelength of light 26. Avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are more sensitive than PIN photodiodes because they: (A) Have a higher dark current (B) Operate at higher voltages (C) Produce more noise (D) Utilize avalanche multiplication 27. What is the term for the change in the refractive index of a material in response to an applied electric field? (A) Electro-absorption (B) Electro-optic effect (C) Electroluminescence (D) Electro-conductivity 28. Which type of laser is commonly used in fiber optic communications due to its stable output and narrow linewidth? (A) Gas laser (B) Semiconductor laser (C) Dye laser (D) Excimer laser 29. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a technique that uses low-coherence light to: (A) Measure the thickness of optical fibers (B) Create 3D images of internal structures (C) Transmit data over long distances (D) Generate laser beams 30. Which of the following optical components is used to separate light into its component wavelengths? (A) Optical filter (B) Polarization beam splitter (C) Diffraction grating (D) Optical coupler 31. In optical communications, what is the purpose of a demultiplexer? (A) To combine multiple optical signals into a single fiber (B) To amplify the optical signal (C) To separate different wavelengths of light (D) To convert optical signals to electrical signals 32. Optical fiber cables are designed to minimize losses due to: (A) Modal dispersion (B) Rayleigh scattering (C) Reflection losses (D) Intrinsic absorption 33. Which of the following is a characteristic of single-mode optical fibers compared to multi-mode fibers? (A) Higher bandwidth (B) Larger core diameter (C) Lower dispersion (D) Higher numerical aperture 34. Which phenomenon limits the maximum bandwidth of optical fibers? (A) Modal dispersion (B) Rayleigh scattering (C) Chromatic dispersion (D) Faraday rotation 35. The efficiency of a solar cell is primarily determined by its: (A) Absorption coefficient (B) Bandgap energy (C) Reflectance (D) Quantum efficiency 36. Which of the following is a characteristic of a laser compared to an LED? (A) Broad spectrum emission (B) Incoherent light emission (C) Lower efficiency (D) Narrow linewidth 37. What is the function of a mode scrambler in optical communications? (A) To increase the transmission distance (B) To reduce modal dispersion (C) To minimize polarization effects (D) To improve signal integrity 38. Which optical component is used to combine signals from multiple fibers into a single fiber? (A) Optical isolator (B) Optical circulator (C) Optical amplifier (D) Wavelength division multiplexer 39. The Faraday effect is used in which type of optical component? (A) Optical isolator (B) Optical amplifier (C) Optical switch (D) Polarization rotator 40. What is the primary advantage of using optical fibers for communication over traditional copper wires? (A) Higher attenuation (B) Higher susceptibility to electromagnetic interference (C) Higher bandwidth (D) Higher cost 41. Which of the following optical components is used to remove unwanted wavelengths of light? (A) Optical splitter (B) Optical attenuator (C) Optical filter (D) Optical coupler 42. The phenomenon where light is scattered due to variations in the refractive index of the fiber material is known as: (A) Rayleigh scattering (B) Raman scattering (C) Stimulated scattering (D) Bragg scattering 43. What is the term for the change in the refractive index of a material due to changes in temperature? (A) Electrostriction (B) Electro-conductivity (C) Electro-absorption (D) Thermooptic effect 44. Which of the following optical phenomena is used in fiber Bragg gratings to reflect specific wavelengths of light? (A) Interference (B) Diffraction (C) Polarization (D) Absorption 45. Optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR) is used to: (A) Measure the attenuation in optical fibers (B) Amplify optical signals (C) Modulate optical signals (D) Convert optical signals to electrical signals 46. Which optical component is used to adjust the phase delay of light passing through it? (A) Optical amplifier (B) Optical switch (C) Optical attenuator (D) Optical delay line 47. The process of converting an optical signal into an electrical signal is known as: (A) Electro-optical conversion (B) Photoelectric effect (C) Optical detection (D) Quantum efficiency 48. Which type of modulator changes the absorption of light in a material to modulate an optical signal? (A) Electro-absorption modulator (B) Mach-Zehnder modulator (C) Acousto-optic modulator (D) Polarization modulator 49. Which optical component is used to switch an optical signal between different paths? (A) Optical amplifier (B) Optical coupler (C) Optical switch (D) Optical filter 50. What is the primary function of an optical circulator? (A) To amplify optical signals (B) To split optical signals (C) To direct optical signals between ports (D) To filter optical signals