Fault detection sensitivity analysis and optimization of the few-mode fiber link under a dynamic spatial mode crosstalk cumulative effect.

Abstract

Due to the cumulative effect of dynamic spatial mode crosstalk, it is difficult to obtain the amplitude distribution of backscattering with high purity. Hence, the fault detection sensitivity (FDS) of the few-mode fiber (FMF) link is deteriorated, and the fault location accuracy is limited. This work investigates the characteristics and optimization method of FDS for the FMF link under the dynamic spatial mode crosstalk cumulative effect. We establish a mathematical model and analyze the influence of dynamic spatial mode crosstalk on the FDS of LP01, LP11a, and LP11b modes. The crosstalk mentioned above is caused by different splice misalignments and rotation angles during FMF fusion splicing. The results show that the dynamic spatial mode crosstalk has a great influence on the detection sensitivity of the high-order spatial mode. To solve this problem, the FDS optimization method is proposed based on high-order mode waveform reconstruction. The coupling efficiency matrix at the fusion splice point is estimated by the Rayleigh backscattering waveform of each mode, and the Rayleigh backscattering waveform of high-order spatial modes is reconstructed. The simulation experiment is carried out based on the above theoretical model. The results show that the proposed method can effectively eliminate the influence of the cascading dynamic crosstalk accumulation on the fault loss of the high-order spatial mode, and then optimize the FDS of the FMF link. This study offers new opportunities to develop FMF fault detection devices with high detection sensitivity performance.