Investigation on Linear Mode Coupling in a Commercial Graded-Index Few Mode Fiber

The increasing need for higher data capacity in optical fibers requires exploration of spatial multiplexing techniques, including few-mode and multicore transmission within optical fibers. An essential performance metric to assess is the linear coupling between modes, both before and after implementation. This article delves into a comprehensive numerical analysis of linear mode coupling and the resulting cross talk in a commercial graded index few mode fiber (FMF). We examine how perturbations during fiber fabrication and stress factors during and after deployment impact this coupling. The simulation results presented here mark a significant advancement in enhancing the precision and complexity of models used to describe the transmission of signals in few-mode fibers, with the potential for extending to multicore fibers.