Transfer function approach to the experimental determination of mode transfer matrices

An improved scheme for characterization of multimode fiber systems is investigated. Characterization with transfer matrices requires multiple measurements for each component. The transfer function approach herein investigated requires only a single launch measurement to be made on a component, which afterward can be described by as few as two numbers. Further, it is shown that this technique is considerably more accurate and repeatable than matrix approaches. A concatenation experiment is performed to demonstrate the efficacy of the new technique as well as to compare it with the more traditional transfer matrix approach.