Experimental characterization of step-index few-mode fiber for weakly-coupled 10-mode-multiplexed transmission

A step-index 10-mode (6-LP-mode) fiber (10MF) with large effective index differences is fabricated and experimentally validated for weakly-coupled few-mode transmission. Modal crosstalk of less than -13.9 dB between 6-LP modes was achieved in an 81-km long 10MF with a pair of mode multiplexer and demultiplexer.