Hybrid optical fiber and method of increasing the effective area of optical transmission using same
AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorRobert L. Rosenberg
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Abstract
A hybrid fiber which, at the operating wavelength, has a desirable fiber dispersion characteristic and a relatively large effective area is provided. Hybrid fibers are constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention by splicing together a fiber with a large effective area but typically unsatisfactory fiber dispersion characteristics to a fiber having excellent dispersion characteristics but a smaller effective area. The resulting hybrid fiber has an increased effective area and desirable fiber dispersion characteristics at the low-loss operating wavelength.
Claims19
A hybrid optical fiber, comprising:
- a first fiber segment having a first effective area and a first fiber dispersion characteristic at a predetermined operating wavelength;
- a second fiber segment coupled to the first fiber segment to form the hybrid fiber, the second fiber segment having a second effective area and a second fiber dispersion characteristic at the predetermined operating wavelength, wherein the first effective area is substantially larger than the second effective area and the second fiber dispersion characteristic is substantially lower than the first fiber dispersion characteristic so that the hybrid fiber has a length-weighted fiber dispersion characteristic and a third effective area which is greater than the second effective area.
A method for increasing the effective area of optical transmission fiber, comprising the steps of:
- forming a hybrid fiber comprising a first fiber segment having a first predetermined effective area and a first fiber dispersion characteristic at a predetermined operating wavelength, and a second fiber segment with a second predetermined effective area and a second fiber dispersion characteristic at the predetermined operating wavelength, said first predetermined effective area being substantially larger than said second predetermined effective area, so that the hybrid fiber has a length-weighted fiber dispersion characteristic and a third effective area which is greater than the second effective area;
- and
- coupling the hybrid fiber to a light source such that the first fiber segment is adjacent to the source.
A method for increasing the effective area of optical transmission fiber, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a first fiber segment having a first effective area and a first fiber dispersion characteristic at a predetermined operating wavelength;
- selecting a second fiber segment having a second effective area and a second fiber dispersion characteristic at the predetermined operating wavelength, wherein the first effective area is larger than the second effective area;
- and
- joining the first and second fiber segments to form a hybrid fiber having a length-weighted fiber dispersion characteristic and a third effective area which is substantially greater than the second effective area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.