Abstract
This paper reports an experimental and theoretical study of bandwidth enhancement in multimode fiber links achieved by using offset launch techniques. It is found, both from theory and experiment, that an up to four-fold bandwidth enhancement can be obtained compared to standard overfilled launch techniques despite exciting over 50% of the fiber modes, thus allowing good stability. The enhancement technique is found to be achieved for a range of fibers with different core diameters and core refractive index profiles. The level of bandwidth enhancement depends upon the inherent bandwidth of the fiber, being particularly effective in improving the performance of low bandwidth "worst case" fibers. The launch is found to be stable with respect to environmental variations, showing bandwidth enhancement for injection positions or connector offsets of up to 5 μm from optimum. In addition, unlike many restricted launch techniques, it is found to be tolerant to angular fiber misalignment for angles up to 6° from normal.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 324-331 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Lightwave Technology |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 1998 |
Funding
Manuscript received April 29, 1997; revised November 10, 1997. This work was supported by the U.K. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. L. Raddatz and I. H. White are with the Centre for Communications Research, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TR U.K. D. G. Cunningham and M. C. Nowell are with Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol BS12 6QZ U.K. Publisher Item Identifier S 0733-8724(98)01889-1.
Keywords
- Multimode waveguides
- Optical fiber communication
- Optical fiber dispersion
- Optical fiber theory
- Semiconductor lasers
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics