Fiber-Optical Transmission Between 0.8 and 1.4 /spl mu/m

The present state of the art and expected development in discrete components for Fiber-optic transmission systems are reviewed. Predicted performance of fiber systems in the 0.85, 1.06, and 1.27 /spl mu/m regions is presented, and the advantages of longer wavelength operation quantified. Itisconcluded that operation near 1.27 /spl mu/m is particularly attractive for a) moderate data rate systems employing LED's and multimode fibers whose chromatic dispersion and attenuation are greatly reduced compared with 0.85 and 1.06 /spl mu/m, and b) high data rate systems employing lasers and monomode fibers. In systems employing lasers and graded index multimode fibers, the advantage of 1.27/spl mu/m versus 1.06 /spl mu/m operation is not as pronounced, although transmission distances at both of these longer wavelengths are significantly increased from those at 0.85 /spl mu/m.