8.

Fiber optics

Principal Types of Optical Fiber

8.1 Step-index fibers

Cladding typically pure silica

C
Core
d
doped
d with
ith germanium
i
tto iincrease iindex
d
Index difference referred to as delta in units of percent
((typically
yp
y 0.3-1.0%))

Tradeoff between coupling and bending losses

Index discontinuity at core-clad
core clad boundary

8.1 Step-index fibers

Meridional Rays

Skew Rays

8.1 Step-index fibers

For Corning SMF-28 optical fiber, nco=1.4504, nCL=1.4447 at 1550 nm

NA = 0.13, Acceptance angle = 7.35 degrees

8.1 Step-index fibers

Helmholtz equation :

2U 1 U 1 2U
2 2
+
+
+
n
k0 U = 0
r 2 r r r 2 2

{n1k0 > > n2 k0 }

With a propagation constant

n2
a
n1

Ez 0

8.1 Step-index fibers

kT

: transverse propagation constant

: decay constant

8.1 Step-index fibers

Spatial (radial) distribution function

l=0

l=0

l=3

l=1

l=2

8.1 Step-index fibers

V parameter of fibers (Normalized frequency of fibers)

V = k0 a n12 n22 = k0 a NA

V parameter or Normalized frequency

V-parameter

8.1 Step-index fibers

: Characteristic Equation

8.1 Step-index fibers

: Characteristic Equation

V = k0 a n12 n22
X 01

X 02
X 03

Fiber modes Linearly polarized modes

LPlm modes

8.1 Step-index fibers

Linearly polarized modes in fibers

LPlm modes
u (r )

LP01

u (r )

LP34

8.1 Step-index fibers

LPlm modes

8.1 Step-index fibers

(for low V)

8.1 Step-index fibers

8.1 Step-index fibers

If V >> 1;;

8.1 Step-index fibers

8.2 Graded-index fibers

8.2 Graded-index fibers

Ray Propagation in Graded-Index Fibers

8.2 Graded-index fibers

If p = 2 (parabolic
(
b li index-profile)
i d
fil )

Comparison : the number of modes

d
0

For the mirror guide

the number of modes is
just the number of
wavelengths that can fit.

1-d Mirror Guide

M =2

1-d Dielectric Guide

M 2

2-d Mirror Guide

2d
M
4

d
NA
0

For dielectric guides

it is the number that can fit
but now limited by the angular
cutoff characterized by the
NA of the guide

2
2d
d
M NA
4 0

The V parameter
characterizes the number of
wavelengths that can fit across
the core guiding region in a fiber.

2-d Dielectric Guide

4 2

M 2 V = 16 NA
0

2-d Dielectric fiber (step-index)

2-d dielectric fiber (graded-index) M 1 V 2 for p = 2

4

(a = d / 2)

8.3 Attenuation and dispersion

Dispersion

Definitions
1

Group velocity

vg =

Group delay

1
=
=
c k

Dispersion

D=

Dispersion

Types of dispersion

D=

Modal dispersion: different modes propagate at different

group velocities
Material dispersion: the index of refraction of the medium
changes with wavelength
Waveguide dispersion: different wavelengths in a mode
have different delays
Polarization mode dispersion:
p
if waveguide
g
is birefringent
g

Dispersion

Dispersion

Dispersion

Dispersion

Dispersion