Spatial and temporal power transfer measurements on a low-loss optical waveguide

Experimental measurements of the spatial and temporal transfer of power of a 225-m length of low-loss optical waveguide have been made. In particular, measurement of the angular attenuation showed substantial loss of the high order modes, which reflected itself in an ~8.2 nsec/km decrease in measured dispersion. Additionally there was a reduction of the effective numerical aperture from 0.15 to 0.12. Negligible mode coupling was observed in this particular waveguide, which allowed a phenomenological calculation of temporal output for an assumed uniform excitation of all modes. This agreed well with experimental measurements. Calculation of this output from knowledge of the index profile is presently not in agreement, and some possible reasons are indicated.