Modes In Few-mode Fiber Research Articles

Accurate Analysis of Crosstalk Between LP$_{11}$ Quasi-Degenerate Modes Due to Offset Connection Using True Eigenmodes

Linearly polarized (LP) modes in few-mode fibers are not true eigenmodes but approximated modes constituting of linear combinations of true eigenmodes. Therefore, the vector field profile in a few-mode fiber must be expressed in terms of the true eigenmodes with complex amplitudes involving a phase difference corresponding to the propagation distance. Owing to this property of LP mode propagation, the propagation characteristics of few-mode fibers cannot be accurately analyzed using conventional LP modes. In this study, the crosstalk between LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">11</sub> quasi-degenerate modes due to offset connection is accurately analyzed using matrix formalism expressing the linear combination of true eigenmodes. The difference in the analytical results between the LP modes and the eigenmodes revealed that the propagation of few-mode fibers should be analyzed using true eigenmodes.

Bending effect characterization of individual higher-order modes in few-mode fibers.

We propose an approach to directly measure the bending effect on individual modes in few-mode fibers using a wavelength-scanning spatially and spectrally resolved imaging technique. By collecting a fiber output beam profile with a scanning wavelength at different bending diameters and analyzing the peaks of its Fourier transformation, we have distinguished higher-order modes (HOMs) of the fiber and investigated their group delay, beam profile, bend loss, and mode splitting individually. We have experimentally verified with a multilayer core fiber at 1-8cm bending diameters that its HOMs experience more loss compared to lower-order modes, but delay at approximately the same speed as the bending diameter decreases. Mode splitting of the LP11 mode at a small bending diameter due to bending-induced birefringence is also observed and discussed. This method provides an efficient tool to study the bending effect on individual HOMs in fibers and could be extended to studying fiber stretching and twisting.

All-fiber optical mode switching based on cascaded mode selective couplers for short-reach MDM networks

We propose and experimentally demonstrate an all-fiber optical mode switching structure supporting independent switching, exchanging, adding, and dropping functionalities in which each mode can be switched individually. The mode switching structure consists of cascaded mode selective couplers (MSCs) capable of exciting and selecting specific higher order modes in few-mode fibers with high efficiency and one multiport optical switch routing the independent spatial modes to their destinations. The data carried on three different spatial modes can be switched, exchanged, added, and dropped through this all-fiber structure. For this experimental demonstration, optical on-off-keying (OOK) signals at 10-Gb/s carried on three spatial modes are successfully processed with open and clear eye diagrams. The mode switch exhibits power penalties of less than 3.1 dB after through operation, less than 2.7 dB after exchange operation, less than 2.8 dB after switching operation, and less than 1.6 dB after mode adding and dropping operations at the bit-error rate (BER) of 10−3, while all three channels carried on three spatial modes are simultaneously routed. The proposed structure, compatible with current optical switching networks based on single-mode fibers, can potentially be used to expand the switching scalability in advanced and flexible short-reach mode-division multiplexing-based networks.

Space division multiplexing optical communication using few-mode fibers

Abstract To realize ultra-high capacity long-haul transmission, space-division multiplexing (SDM) has emerged as a promising solution, in which each data channel is modulated into an individual spatial/polarization modes in few-mode fibers (FMF) to increase the overall number of parallel channels. In this paper, we review the latest advances in SDM technology on the FMF, component, digital signal processing (DSP), as well as transmission demonstrations. First, we introduce the FMF characteristics, fabrication and manufacturing issues including modal dispersion, mode coupling, and nonlinearities. We next discuss in detail several key SDM components such as spatial multiplexers/demultiplexers (MUX/DeMUX), optical amplifiers, mode converters and SDM reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM). Accordingly, we explore the DSP algorithms for SDM systems, covering least mean squares (LMS), recursive least squares (RLS), hardware complexity analysis, and mode dependent effects. Besides, a number of recent experimental validations are evaluated enabling higher transmission capacity for short, medium and long distances.

Wavelength Reuse for Short-Reach Optical Access Network Utilizing MDM

Wavelength reuse has been proposed as an effective solution to realize colorless optical network units (ONUs) for next-generation passive optical network with simplified maintenance and reduced cost. In this paper, we propose a wavelength reused mode-division-multiplexing (MDM) scheme for bidirectional short-reach optical access network with low mode-crosstalk multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) and few-mode fiber (FMF). In downstream (DS) transmission, one of the spatial modes in FMF is used to transmit optical carriers, while the others are used as DS signal channels. In upstream (US) transmission, the carrier is split to all the ONUs for US remodulation. By utilizing low mode-crosstalk mode MUX/DEMUX and FMF, the carrier and each signal channel can be effectively separated. Compared with other wavelength reused schemes in which the DS and US transmission are modulated in orthogonal dimension, the signal qualities on two transmission directions are independent in the proposed scheme, and symmetrical bidirectional transmission without residual remodulation crosstalk can be achieved. What is more, to reduce bidirectional Rayleigh backscattering noise, we propose to use different optical sidebands for DS and US transmission. With the proposed scheme, we experimentally demonstrate symmetrical bidirectional 2 × 12.5-Gb/s quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexing (OFDM) intensity-modulation and direct-detection transmission over 11.5-km four-mode FMF. With Rayleigh backscattering noise mitigation, a Q-factor improvement of 2 dB is achieved for the US signal at the DS signal-to-carrier power ratio of −27 dB.

Full-set mode analysis of three-mode fibers calculated from polarization components of near-field pattern

We propose and demonstrate a novel mode analysis method that can provide a full set of amplitudes, phases, and polarization states of guided modes including degenerate modes in few-mode fibers. The method is based on the calculation of amplitude components and phase differences from the intensity profiles that passed through a polarizer with angles of 0, 45, and 90°. The accuracies of calculation formulas are shown by simulation to be less than 10−10 for amplitudes and 10−3 rad for phase differences. The method was applied to a graded-index three-mode fiber, and the off-axis mode excitation ratio characteristics were compared with theoretical ones.

Fiber Fuse Propagation Characteristics of LP01and LP11Modes in Few-Mode Fiber

We observe fiber fuse propagation in the LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">11</sub> mode in few-mode fiber by selective propagation mode launching via a PLC-based mode multiplexer. We focus on two fiber fuse propagation parameters, namely, the propagation power threshold P <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">th</sub> , and the diameter of the melted area D <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">melted</sub> . We confirm experimentally that P <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">th</sub> in the LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">11</sub> mode was higher than that in the LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">01</sub> mode. P <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">th</sub> of the LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">01</sub> and LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">11</sub> modes increases linearly with the Gaussian beam width, which is similar to the dependence of the mode field diameter of P <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">th</sub> in the LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">01</sub> mode. We also find a specific relationship between the power density and D <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">melted</sub> normalized by the Gaussian beam width regardless of input mode conditions and fiber type. Therefore, we believe that we can utilize the Gaussian beam width of the near field pattern of the LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">01</sub> and LP <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">11</sub> modes for predicting the characteristics of fiber fuse propagation in both modes.

Mode resolved bend loss in few-mode optical fibers

We present a novel approach to directly measure the bend loss of individual modes in few-mode fibers based on the correlation filter technique. This technique benefits from a computer-generated hologram performing a modal decomposition, yielding the optical power of all propagating modes in the bent fiber. Results are compared with rigorous loss simulations and with common loss formulas for step-index fibers revealing high measurement fidelity. To the best of our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time an experimental loss discrimination between index-degenerated modes.

Fiber LPG Mode Converters and Mode Selection Technique for Multimode SDM

The use of multimode fibers in mode division multiplexed space-division multiplexing systems offers one solution to the capacity limitations of single-mode fiber transmission. Passive components to control the individual modes in few-mode fiber (FMF) are key elements to build more complex modules and components necessary for a high performance system. Fiber-based mode converters are important elements in the FMF mux/demux, and long-period gratings have been investigated to provide mode conversion in two- and four-mode fibers. A method to separate and monitor the modes in real time is described as the basis of a method to measure the individual modal performance of a component during fabrication.