GaAs Twin-Laser Setup to Measure Mode and Material Dispersion in Optical Fibers

Abstract

Two synchronously self-pulsing GaAlAs lasers, emitting at slightly different wavelengths, are combined in a setup which evaluates mode and material dispersion in multimode fibers. The results show that material dispersion which causes a pulse broadening of 3.6 ns/km, which may represent a serious limit to the bit rates achievable in a multimode fiber system using an LED source.