Mode-dependent characterization of photonic lanterns

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics and Photonics
• Optical Communications
• Fiber Optics

Background:

• Mode division multiplexing (MDM) enables higher data transmission capacity.
• Photonic lanterns (PLs) are crucial components for coupling multiple modes into few-mode fibers (FMFs).
• Accurate characterization of PLs is essential for efficient MDM system performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and experimentally demonstrate a straightforward method for characterizing the power transfer matrix of photonic lanterns (PLs).
• To enable precise measurement of mode-dependent characteristics of PLs used in MDM.
• To provide a practical technique for evaluating PL performance in optical communication systems.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing optical reflections from the output facet of few-mode fibers (FMFs).
• Detecting optical power at individual single-mode fiber (SMF) input ports of the PL.
• Applying energy conservation principles and a series of equations to derive PL characteristics.

Main Results:

• Successfully characterized the power transfer matrix of PLs.
• Quantified mode selectivity, insertion loss (IL), and channel-dependent loss (CDL).
• Experimental verification performed on both mode-selective and non-mode-selective PLs.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method offers a simple and effective way to characterize PLs for MDM.
• The technique accurately determines crucial mode-dependent parameters.
• This contributes to the advancement and practical implementation of MDM technologies.