Title :
Spatial Aperture-Sampled Mode Multiplexer Extended to Higher Mode Count Fibers
Author :
Blau, Miri ; Marom, Dan M.
Author_Institution :
Appl. Phys. Dept., Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem, Israel
Abstract :
Efficient mode division multiplexing using the spatial aperture sampled concept from single-modefibers to a few-mode fiber is extended to circular step index fibers supporting up to ten spatial modes and to annular refractive index profile fibers supporting nine optical orbital angular momentum modes (mode counts double when considering polarization states for each case). Each sampling beam aperture is spatially shaped for lower average coupling losses and mode dependent losses or a balance thereof. The optimization demonstrates the scalability and consistent low losses for the aperture-sampled mode multiplexer for increasing mode counts, as opposed to the phase hologram-based mode conversion technique. The aperture-sampling approach is also found to be robust to small input fiber alignment errors and fiber geometrical distortions.
Keywords :
multiplexing equipment; optical communication equipment; optical fibre communication; optical fibre losses; optical fibre polarisation; refractive index; annular refractive index profile fibers; beam aperture; circular step index fibers; few-mode fiber; fiber geometrical distortions; higher mode count fibers; lower average coupling losses; mode counts; mode dependent losses; mode division multiplexing; optical orbital angular momentum modes; optimization; phase hologram-based mode conversion technique; polarization states; single-mode fiber; small input fiber alignment errors; spatial aperture-sampled mode multiplexer; spatial modes; Apertures; Multiplexing; Optical fiber networks; Optical fiber polarization; Optimization; Shape; Fiber optics; Fiber optics communications; Multiplexing; fiber optics communications; multiplexing;
Journal_Title :
Lightwave Technology, Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JLT.2015.2449333