We report simultaneous transmission of six spatial and polarization modes, each carrying 40 Gb/s quadrature-phase-shift-keyed channels over 96 km of a low-differential group delay few-mode fiber. The channels are successfully recovered by offline DSP based on coherent detection and multiple-input multiple-output processing. A penalty of ;28 dB.

Mode-Division Multiplexing Over 96 km of Few-Mode Fiber Using Coherent 6 $\,\times\,$ 6 MIMO Processing

Space-division multiplexing (SDM) uses multiplicity of space channels to increase capacity for optical communication. It is applicable for optical communication in both free space and guided waves. This paper focuses on SDM for fiber-optic communication using few-mode fibers or multimode fibers, in particular on the critical challenge of mode crosstalk. Multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) equalization methods developed for wireless communication can be applied as an electronic method to equalize mode crosstalk. Optical approaches, including differential modal group delay management, strong mode coupling, and multicore fibers, are necessary to bring the computational complexity for MIMO mode crosstalk equalization to practical levels. Progress in passive devices, such as (de)multiplexers, and active devices, such as amplifiers and switches, which are considered straightforward challenges in comparison with mode crosstalk, are reviewed. Finally, we present the prospects for SDM in optical transmission and networking.

Space-division multiplexing: the next frontier in optical communication

Since the first deployments of fiber-optic com- munication systems three decades ago, the capacity carried by a single-mode optical fiber has increased by a staggering 10 000 times. Most of the growth occurred in the first two decades with growth slowing to ten times in the last decade. Over the same three decades, network traffic has increased by a much smaller factor of 100, but with most of the growth occurring in the last few years, when data started dominating network traffic. At the current growth rate, the next factor of 100 in network traffic growth will occur within a decade. The large difference in growth rates between the delivered fiber capacity and the traffic demand is expected to create a capacity shortage within a decade. The first part of the paper recounts the history of traffic and capacity growth and extrapolations for the future. The second part looks into the technological chal- lenges of growing the capacity of single-mode fibers by pre- senting a capacity limit estimate of standard and advanced single-mode optical fibers. The third part presents elementary capacity considerations for transmission over multiple trans- mission modes and how it compares to a single-mode trans- mission. Finally, the last part of the paper discusses fibers supporting multiple spatial modes, including multimode and multicore fibers, and the role of digital processing techniques. Spatial multiplexing in fibers is expected to enable system capacity growth to match traffic growth in the next decades.

https://www.icg.isy.liu.se/courses/optical/Capacity_Trends.pdf

Capacity Trends and Limits of Optical Communication Networks Discussed in this paper are: optical communication network traffic evolution trends, required capacity and challenges to reaching it, and basic limits to capacity.

Since the first deployments of fiber-optic communication systems three decades ago, the capacity carried by a single-mode optical fiber has increased by a staggering 10 000 times. Most of the growth occurred in the first two decades with growth slowing to ten times in the last decade. Over the same three decades, network traffic has increased by a much smaller factor of 100, but with most of the growth occurring in the last few years, when data started dominating network traffic. At the current growth rate, the next factor of 100 in network traffic growth will occur within a decade. The large difference in growth rates between the delivered fiber capacity and the traffic demand is expected to create a capacity shortage within a decade. The first part of the paper recounts the history of traffic and capacity growth and extrapolations for the future. The second part looks into the technological challenges of growing the capacity of single-mode fibers by presenting a capacity limit estimate of standard and advanced single-mode optical fibers. The third part presents elementary capacity considerations for transmission over multiple transmission modes and how it compares to a single-mode transmission. Finally, the last part of the paper discusses fibers supporting multiple spatial modes, including multimode and multicore fibers, and the role of digital processing techniques. Spatial multiplexing in fibers is expected to enable system capacity growth to match traffic growth in the next decades.

Capacity Trends and Limits of Optical Communication Networks

Plastic Optical Fibers: An Introduction to Their Technological Processes and Applications

Mode coupling theory is applied to the study of multimode optical fibers with graded-index cores. For coupling caused by random bends in the waveguide axis, the results predict the dependence of the induced losses on the fiber's characteristics. The impulse response is determined for fibers with random bends having several different power spectra. The results are used to predict the transmitted power, the delay time, and the rms pulse width in fibers with graded-index cores.

Mode Coupling Effects in Graded-index Optical Fibers

This paper reports on some theoretical and experimental investigations of the radial refractive index gradient that maximizes the information-carrying capacity of a multimode optical waveguide. The primary difference between this work and previous studies is that the dispersive nature of core and cladding materials is taken into consideration. This leads to a new expression for the index gradient parameter alpha(c) which characterizes the optimal profile. Using the best available refractive index data, it is found that in high-silica waveguides, the dispersive properties of the glasses significantly influence the pulse broadening of near-parabolic fibers, and that the parameter alpha(c) must be altered by 10-20% to compensate for dispersion differences between core and cladding glasses. These predictions are supported by pulse broadening measurements of two graded-index fibers. A comparison is made between the widths and shapes of measured pulses and pulses calculated using the WKB approximation and the near-field measurement of the index profiles. The good agreement found between theory and experiment not only supports the predictions made for the value of alpha(c), but demonstrates an ability to predict pulse broadening in fibers having general index gradients.

Pulse broadening in graded-index optical fibers.

Distortion losses in cabled optical fibers.

An automated apparatus is described for measuring mode-dependent scattering and total attenuation in graded-index waveguides. Measurements are reported for two low-loss waveguides and several high-loss waveguides. The results illustrate the ability of this technique to identify different types of loss mechanisms.

Differential mode attenuation measurements in graded-index fibers

The excess pulse broadening caused by deviations from the optimal index profile is analyzed for multimode optical fibers. First-order perturbation theory is used to evaluate the effects of arbitrary index perturbations having longitudinal spatial frequencies which are too low to cause mode coupling. A simplified expression is found for the excess pulse broadening in terms of a double integral over a weighting function. Weighting functions are evaluated and used to calculate the effects of two kinds of circularly symmetric perturbations, a Gaussian-shaped bump or dip in the index profile and an oscillating perturbation. These perturbations are found to affect the pulse broadening significantly according to the position and width of the bump and the transverse spatial frequency of the oscillating perturbation. The more narrow bumps and those located at larger core radii are found to have the greatest effect. For a typical multimode fiber, perturbations making 2–18 oscillations along the radius are found to cause significant increases in pulse broadening, while more rapid oscillations are found to have negligible effect. These results indicate the type and degree of index profile control required to keep the pulse broadening below a specified level.

Robert Olshansky

Papers

Mode Coupling Effects in Graded-index Optical Fibers

Pulse broadening in graded-index optical fibers.

Distortion losses in cabled optical fibers.

Differential mode attenuation measurements in graded-index fibers

Pulse broadening caused by deviations from the optimal index profile