Complete Dispersion Characterization of Few Mode Fibers by OLCI Technique

Abstract

Few-mode optical fibers (FMFs) are useful for many applications such as space-division-multiplexing (SDM), high laser power generation and transport, dispersion compensation, etc. The emergence of SDM induces considerable requirements in terms of FMF characterization (chromatic dispersion, birefringence, modal content, bending losses). All LP modes of an FMF can be simultaneously characterized using phase-sensitive optical low-coherence interferometry. The differential modal group delay and absolute chromatic dispersion values of each mode are retrieved from a single measurement without spatial mode transformers.