Fiber-optic wavelength-division multiplexing and demultiplexing using volume holographic gratings.

We present theoretical and experimental results of a novel fiber-optic wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) design employing a broadband (>150-nm) dichromated gelatin volume holographic grating operating in a reflective Littrow configuration with on-axis optics, a single lens, and one fiber array. This configuration can achieve better than -1.5-dB insertion loss and -40-dB cross talk for a 6-channel system and -2.5-dB insertion loss and -20-dB cross talk for a 12-channel system with 15-nm channel spacing. For an experimental 4-channel WDM unit we measured better than -1.5-dB insertion loss for all channels and less than -32-dB cross talk. This design can provide cost and performance benefits for local area network communication applications.

Fiber-optic coupling based on nonimaging expanded-beam optics.

We have fabricated and experimentally tested low-cost and mass-producible multimode fiber-optic couplers and connectors based on nonimaging beam-expanding optics and Liouville's theorem. Analysis indicates that a pair coupling loss of -0.25 dB can be achieved. Experimentally, we measured insertion losses as low as -0.38 dB. The beam expanders can be mass produced owing to the use of plastic injection-molding fabrication techniques and packaged in standard connector housings. This design is compatible with the fiber geometry and can yield highly stable coupling owing to its high tolerance for misalignments.

Bandwidth estimation for multimode optical fibers using the frequency correlation function of speckle patterns.

In this paper we present a new method for estimating the bandwidth of multimode optical fibers based on the frequency correlation function of the speckle patterns generated by the interference of fiber modes. This technique, which does not require a pulse or signal generator, can be utilized to estimate the bandwidth of a multimode fiber using a relatively short length of fiber. By applying this method to a test fiber we obtained a bandwidth of approximately 36 MHz km which is in relatively good agreement with the approximately 44-MHz x km bandwidth measured by a conventional pulsed technique.

Laser phase noise effects in fiber-optic signal processors with recirculating loops.

The power spectrum of the optical intensity at the output of a single-mode-fiber recirculating delay line driven by a multimode semiconductor laser is shown to exhibit a spectral structure with notches at zero frequency as well as at other multiples of 1/(loop delay). A theoretical model based on laser phase noise is suggested to explain the experimental data.

Fiber-optic signal processor with applications to matrix-vector multiplication and lattice filtering.

A new fiber-optic signal processor is proposed to implement systolic matrix-vector multipliers and lattice filters. 10(9) multiplications/sec can be achieved with currently available components for matrix-vector multiplications that involve Toeplitz matrices. A 2 x 2 (Toeplitz) matrix-vector multiplier has been experimentally demonstrated using single-mode fibers and directional couplers. The filtering characteristics of the device are also discussed.