Receiver overload occurs when a receiving device, such as a radio receiver, network interface, or optical module, is exposed to an input signal that exceeds its designed handling capacity. This can lead to distortion, data corruption, or even hardware damage. Note that the photodetector will have saturated. In fiber-optic communication systems, long-distance optical modules, due to their high transmit optical power, are highly susceptible to damage to receiving devices when directly connected to shorter optical fibers. Therefore, strong light exposure should be avoided as much as possible during use to prevent exceeding the overload optical power. Receiver Sensitivity Receiver sensitivity refers to the minimum average input. Even minor deviations—whether too high, too low, or unstable—can impact signal integrity, trigger service alarms, or interrupt traffic on DWDM, OTN, or long-haul optical line systems.
[PDF Version]