Zero-dispersion wavelength distribution in optical fibers from CW four-wave mixing

We describe a four wave mixing (FWM) efficiency measurement technique that uses low-power cw laser sources to obtain end-to-end FWM efficiency curves for forward- and backward-propagating light and then uses these data to estimate the length distribution of /spl lambda//sub o/ with a numerical algorithm that models FWM efficiency in fiber. Unlike the technique used by Brener, only one laser source is actively tuned during the measurement scan. The second source remains fixed in wavelength.