Optical fiber transmission system with increased effective modal bandwidth transmission

Abstract

A multi-mode optical fiber link is described. The multi-mode optical fiber link includes a first spatial mode converter that is coupled to a first single mode optical fiber. The first spatial mode converter conditions a modal profile of an optical signal propagating from the single mode optical fiber to the first spatial mode converter. A multi-mode optical fiber is coupled to the first spatial mode converter. A second spatial mode converter is coupled to an output of the multi-mode optical fiber and to a second single mode optical fiber. The second spatial mode converter reduces a number of optical modes in the optical signal. Both the first and the second spatial mode converters increase an effective modal bandwidth of the optical signal.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 605,107, filed on Sep. 9, 2003, entitled “Optical Transmitter for Increased Effective Modal Bandwidth Transmission,” which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60 / 481,166, filed on Aug. 1, 2003, entitled “Optical Fiber Transmission System with Increased Effective Modal Bandwidth.” The entire disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 605,107 and U.S. provisional patent application No. 60 / 481,166 are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] Many existing optical fiber transmission systems use multi-mode optical fiber. Multi-mode optical fiber is widely used because it is relatively inexpensive, easy to install and because it is suitable for use with low cost transmitter and receiver components. The relatively large optical fiber core and numerical aperture of multi-mode optical fibers allows more li...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Known multi-mode optical fiber transmission systems, however, have relatively low bandwidth-distance products for a given bit error rate (BER) and, therefore, are not suitable for many state-of-the art communication systems.

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