Electrooptic multiplexer system for multimode fiber communications.

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Optical Communication Systems
• Fiber Optics

Background:

• Multimode optical communication systems face challenges in controlling and routing light energy efficiently.
• Existing multiplexing technologies may not be optimal for multimode single-fiber applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct functional 4:1 electrooptic multiplexers for multimode single-fiber optical data communication.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of optically multiplexing multimode signals using internal reflectance at grazing incidence.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the concept of internal reflectance at grazing incidence to design and fabricate multiplexer units.
• Assembled a complete time division multiplexed optical data link using two 4:1 multiplexer units.

Main Results:

• Fabricated individual multiplexer units with low insertion losses (as low as 10 dB).
• Achieved high optical signal-to-crosstalk ratios (as high as 15 dB) in the multiplexer units.
• Successfully demonstrated a functional time division multiplexed optical data link.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrooptic multiplexers are functional for multimode single-fiber optical data communication.
• The constructed data link validates the optical multiplexing of multimode signals.
• This work represents a significant step in controlling and routing multimode light energy.