System experiments with multimode waveguides and fibers for applications in computer interconnects

The effect on the modal noise induced bit-error-rate floor when passing light through short lengths (0.5 to 70 mm) of large core epoxy ridge waveguides and multimode fibers was investigated. It was demonstrated that the bit-error-rate floor declines rapidly with the waveguide transmission distance, whereas for the multimode fiber the floor is independent of the length. The issue of estimating modal noise bit-error-rate floors at realistic levels of the mode selective loss is addressed. The experimental set-up is discussed, and the results of modal noise system experiments performed at 1 Gb/s non-return-to-zero (NRZ) are presented. Worst-case requirements to the waveguide design are discussed.<
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