Transfer function approach to the experimental determination of mode transfer matrices

Area of Science:

• Optical engineering
• Photonics
• Fiber optics

Background:

• Characterizing multimode fiber systems is crucial for optical communication.
• Traditional transfer matrix methods require extensive measurements for each component.
• Existing techniques can suffer from accuracy and repeatability issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate an improved scheme for multimode fiber system characterization.
• To introduce a more efficient and accurate characterization technique.
• To compare the proposed method with the established transfer matrix approach.

Main Methods:

• Investigated a transfer function approach for component characterization.
• Required only a single launch measurement per component.
• Described components using as few as two numbers.

Main Results:

• The transfer function approach requires significantly fewer measurements than transfer matrix methods.
• This technique demonstrated superior accuracy and repeatability compared to matrix approaches.
• A concatenation experiment validated the efficacy of the transfer function method.

Conclusions:

• The transfer function approach offers a more efficient and accurate method for multimode fiber characterization.
• This technique simplifies the characterization process, reducing measurement complexity.
• The findings suggest a significant improvement over traditional transfer matrix techniques.