Direct measurement of the (baseband) frequency response of multimode fibers

Incoherent light, transmitted via multimode fibers, represents a potential carrier for information that is directly modulated on the light envelope. The amplitude and phase characteristics of the envelope (baseband) signal are affected by the fiber waveguide because of group delay differences among the modes. We report on a technique that determines the baseband frequency response of the fiber system by comparing the beat spectra of light from a free-running laser before and after transmission through the fiber. As an example, we describe the measurement of 30 m of cladded multimode fiber. The 3-dB bandwidth was 700 MHz, somewhat larger than predicted on the basis of the computed group velocity differences.