Abstract: A single mode optical waveguide fiber having a segmented core designed to provide a large effective area for light transmission. The large effective area reduces waveguide fiber non-linearities. The inventive waveguide is thus suited for transmission of high power signals over long distances. Embodiments of the inventive single mode waveguide including five core segments are given. The large effective area is achieved with essentially no degradation in optical or mechanical performance of the waveguide.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single mode optical waveguide having a core refractive index profile defined by upper and lower boundary profiles on a chart of relative index percent versus radius. The relative refractive index as a function of radial dimensions of the core are selected to provide an optical waveguide fiber having properties suitable for a high performance telecommunication system operating in the wavelength window of about 1530 nm to 1625 nm. Refractive index profile designs encompassing the wavelength window 1250 nm to 1350 nm are also disclosed. The embodiments of the core waveguide have exceptionally low total dispersion slope and attenuation over these wavelength windows.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring stress exerted on an optical fiber including providing an optical fiber that includes a fiber optic sensor, and exposing the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor to various stresses associated with the process by moving the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor through the process to be measured. The system and method further includes transmitting a source light through the optical fiber as the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor are exposed to various stresses, receiving a return light signal from the fiber optic sensor as the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor are exposed to various stresses, and comparing the source light signal to the return light signal for determining the stress exerted on the optical fiber.

Abstract: A soliton pulse generator is formed by providing an input continuous wave, stimulating Brillouin scattering of an input wave having a frequency determined by the frequency of the input continuous wave to generate a backscattered wave, coupling a continuous wave having a frequency determined by the input continuous wave with the backscattered wave to generate a sinusoidal output signal, and then compressing the sinusoidal output to form a soliton pulse train. Because the wavelength shift of the backscattered wave is essentially independent of the input wavelength and power, coupling of the second wave and the backscatterred wave results in a highly stable and controllable sinusoidal output signal. A highly stable and controllable soliton pulse train is provided by compressing the sinusoidal signal with use of a dispersion decreasing fiber or with use of an alternative pulse compressing device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical circuit for filtering and frequency modulation of soliton signal pulses traveling over long spans of waveguide fiber. The circuit makes use of the filtering properties of a non-linear optical loop mirror (NOLM). The time difference between control pulses and signal pulses co-propagating in the NOLM is controlled to increase or decrease the centroid shift of the signal pulses. The signal and control pulse streams are derived from a single stream of soliton pulses. The NOLM serves to filter low power noise from the soliton signal pulses at the same time as it shifts the centroid frequency of the soliton signal pulses up or down. The circuit can be inserted at advantageous points along a waveguide fiber transmission line to allow propagation of solitons, without electronic regeneration, over line lengths of 100 km.

Abstract: A single mode optical waveguide fiber having a relatively large effective area and low dispersion includes a segmented core having at least two segments each defining a radius, a refractive index profile and a relative refractive index percent. The waveguide fiber also includes a clad layer surrounding and in contact with the core and having a relative refractive index. The refractive index profiles are selected to provide total dispersion at a wavelength of about 1550 nm of within the range of about 11 ps/nm-km to about 14 ps/nm-km, and total dispersion slope at a wavelength of about 1550 nm of within the range of about 0.045 ps/nm2-km to about 0.055 ps/nm2-km. The refractive index profiles are further selected to provide an effective area greater than or equal to 60 &mgr;m2, and attenuation at a wavelength of about 1550 nm of less than or equal to 0.22 dB/km.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dispersion compensating waveguide fiber suitable for use in high data rate, high light power telecommunications systems of intermediate length. The refractive index profile of the compensation fiber is segmented. The segment relative refractive indexes and radii are chosen to provide negative total dispersion and negative total dispersion slope over an extended wavelength range. The index profile design is flexible enough to provide compensated links having total dispersion that is positive, negative, or zero, while maintaining appropriate total dispersion slope compensation. In addition, the waveguide fiber of the invention may be cabled or otherwise buffered prior to its use in a communications system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a negative total dispersion waveguide fiber having low attenuation and sufficiently good resistance to bend loss that attenuation is not impacted by cabling or otherwise buffering the waveguide. The total dispersion slope of the waveguide fiber is positive so that the zero dispersion wavelength is greater than 1600 nm. The waveguide fiber may advantageously be used in a link having a distributed feedback laser as a signal source. The negative dispersion of the waveguide in accordance with the invention compresses the launched signal pulse when the laser is positively chirped. The laser is operated at optimum bias, which results in positive chirp, but no dispersion penalty is incurred in the link. The waveguide fiber in accordance with the invention may also be advantageously used as a dispersion compensating fiber in a high performance multiplexed telecommunications link.

Abstract: A single mode optical waveguide fiber having large effective area and low dispersion slope has a core having segments. The mode power distribution in the fiber is determined by the refractive index profile of the respective segments. The refractive index profile of each segment is characterized by a relative refractive index percent, and an inner and outer radius.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single mode optical waveguide having a segmented core of at least two segments. The relative refractive index, the index profile and the radial dimensions of the core segments are selected to provide an optical waveguide fiber having properties suitable for a high performance telecommunication system operating in the wavelength window of about 1530 nm to 1570 nm. Embodiments of the invention having two, three and four segments are described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dispersion shifted optical waveguide fiber having low but non-zero dispersion over an extended wavelength window that includes wavelengths, from 1470 nm to 1625 nm. Waveguide fiber core refractive index profiles exhibit the desired dispersion performance while maintaining resistance to pin array and lateral load bending at least equivalent to standard waveguide fiber. Attenuation over the operating wavelength range is low and zero dispersion wavelength is typically less than 1450 nm.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single mode optical waveguide fiber having a core refractive index profile in which the profile parameters are selected to provide an attenuation minimum. A set of profiles having the same general shape and dimensions is shown to have a group of profiles contained in a sub-set which exhibit a minimum of attenuation as compared to the remaining members of the set. The members of the sub-set have been found to have the lowest effective group index, ngeff, and the lowest change in &bgr;2 under waveguide fiber bending.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single mode optical waveguide fiber having a core region refractive index profile designed to provide a highly non-linear refractive index. The core index profile of the highly non-linear waveguide is an &agr;-profile which has pre-selected values of relative refractive-index and core diameter so as to retain the advantageous optical waveguide properties of low attenuation, properly placed zero dispersion and cut off wavelengths, low, positive total dispersion over a pre-selected wavelength range, and low dispersion slope.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single mode optical waveguide fiber designed for use in high performance telecommunication systems. The novel core profile design improves bending performance to provide enhanced resistance to adverse environments. Total dispersion over an extended wavelength window is maintained low by placing the zero dispersion wavelength above the upper limit of the operating window. In addition, cut off wavelength is increased to just below the operating window. Ease of manufacture is retained as is very low waveguide attenuation.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring stress exerted on an optical fiber including providing an optical fiber that includes a fiber optic sensor, and exposing the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor to various stresses associated with the process by moving the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor through the process to be measured. The system and method further includes transmitting a source light through the optical fiber as the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor are exposed to various stresses, receiving a return light signal from the fiber optic sensor as the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor are exposed to various stresses, and comparing the source light signal to the return light signal for determining the stress exerted on the optical fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dispersion compensated multimode waveguide fiber link. The dispersion of essentially any wavelength can be compensated by adding a compensating waveguide fiber to the link, the compensating waveguide having a profile shape and a &lgr;p wavelength which counters dispersion caused by the original waveguide fiber of the link. Analytical expressions relating the compensator waveguide profile and &lgr;p to the original link and compensated profile and &lgr;p are provided for the embodiment which includes a profiles.

Abstract: A dispersion compensating single mode optical waveguide fiber designed to change the wavelength window of operation of a link from 1310 nm to 1550 nm. The dispersion compensating waveguide fiber is characterized by a core glass region refractive index profile comprised of at least three segments. The segment on the waveguide center has a positive relative refractive index. At least one segment, spaced apart from, the waveguide centerline has a negative relative refractive.

Abstract: A plurality of fiber lasers or amplifiers which share a common pump source. Cost and efficiency improvement of waveguide fiber telecommunications systems are made possible by routing pump laser power through a 1×N coupler to supply pump light to desired combinations of optical fiber lasers or amplifiers. The design is readily adapted to the use of modules, for example laser modules which have a port for receiving pump light and a port for receiving a wavelength selecting module.

Abstract: A system for measuring polarization mode dispersion (PMD) in a fiber using a polarizer controlling the polarization state of light input to the fiber and a polarization analyzer measuring the polarization state of light output from the fiber. Jones matrix analysis is applied to data derived from three input polarization states and two wavelengths of probing radiation. Performance is improved by using incoherent light sources such as light emitting diodes in conjunction with two bandpass filter. However, a laser source and optical detector are used to align the fiber. The system is particularly useful in measuring PMD values in short lengths of fiber and mapping those values with a long fiber from which the test fiber was cut. Preferably, the PMD is measured for various values of twist experimentally induced in the test fiber, and the short-length PMD value is that associated with zero-internal twist in the fiber as calculated according to a model. The fiber may also be loaded during measurement.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single mode optical waveguide fiber having a segmented core. The relative indexes, the refractive index profiles and the radii of the segments are chosen to provide waveguide fiber properties advantageously used in severe environments, such as, undersea cables. The segmented core waveguide fiber has a negative total dispersion over the operating window of about 1530 nm to 1570 nm, which serves to eliminate soliton formation. The key properties of dispersion zero, cut off wavelength, attenuation, and bend resistance fall within desired ranges. The waveguide also features a low polarization mode dispersion.