Experimental techniques for evaluation of fiber transmission loss and dispersion

This paper describes state-of-the-art measurement techniques for the characterization of fiber loss and dispersion. Special emphasis is placed on the achievement of high measurement accuracy, and on novel techniques to determine the loss and dispersion of single-mode and graded-index fibers in the 0.8 to 1.7-µm wavelength region where fiber loss and material dispersion are both small.