Fourier-Domain Modal Delay Measurements for Multimode Fibers Optimized for the 850-nm Band in a Local Area Network

We present transmission- and reflection-type measurement methods for the differential mode delay (DMD) of a multimode optical fiber (MMF) optimized for high-speed local area networks (LANs) for the 850-nm band. Compared with a previously reported transmission-type measurement method for the 1550-nm wavelength band, we demonstrate here high-resolution DMD measurement methods for MMFs in the 850-nm band. As the method is based on a Fourier-domain intermodal interference technique, the measurement sensitivity is ∼60-dB, and it requires a fiber only a few meters in length. The shorter wavelength also allows a threefold improvement in the measurement resolution. The reflection-type measurement technique is a more practical than the transmission-type measurement technique for the field testing of short MMFs already installed in networks. We believe that this method will be a practical tool not only for field testing of short-length MMFs already installed in networks but also for the development of new plastic optical fibers (POFs).