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US5261016A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Chromatic dispersion compensated optical fiber communication system

Assignee: Furukawa Electric North America Inc
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Filing: 1992-12-22
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Granted: 1993-11-09
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Expires: 2012-12-22
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Abstract

Abstract An optical fiber communication system according to the invention comprises, in addition to conventional single mode (SM) optical fiber, dispersion compensating (DC) optical fiber. The DC fiber is selected such that its chromatic dispersion (D DC (λ)) and first derivative of the chromatic dispersion with respect to wavelength (D' DC (λ)) at a wavelength λ=λ op have opposite sign from those of the SM fiber. Advantageously, the DC fiber is selected such that L DC ·D DC (λ)+L·D(λ) is approximately zero at λ=λ op , and such that D' DC (λ) is approximately equal to --(L/L DC )·D'(λ) at λ=λ op , where L DC and L are appropriate lengths of DC and SM fiber, respectively. Typically, L is much greater than L DC , and λ op typically is about 1.5 μm, e.g., about 1.56 μm. Preferred embodiments of the invention have low chromatic dispersion over a substantial wavelength region (e.g., dispersion less than 1.5 ps/nm·km over at least 50 nm) that includes λ o , facilitating wavelength division multiplexing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Craig D. Poole

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 21:01
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/29371; G02B6/29374; H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/25; H04B10/2507; H04B10/2513; H04B10/2525

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 134 words
An article comprising a length L DC of optical fiber (said fiber to be designated "DC" fiber) that supports propagation of radiation of wavelength λ op , where λ op ˜1.5 μm, and further comprising a length L of optical fiber that is single mode fiber for radiation of wavelength λ op , that has chromatic dispersion D(λ) at wavelength λ and that furthermore has a derivative with respect to wavelength D(λ)' of the chromatic dispersion at wavelength λ; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the DC fiber has chromatic dispersion D DC (λ) at wavelength and furthermore has a derivative with respect to wavelength D' DC (λ) of the chromatic dispersion at wavelength λ, with D DC (λ) and D' DC (λ) being of the opposite sign as D(λ) and D'(λ), respectively, at λ=λ op .
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 134 words
An article comprising a length L DC of optical fiber (said fiber to be designated "DC" fiber) that supports propagation of radiation of wavelength λ op , where λ op ˜1.5 μm, and further comprising a length L of optical fiber that is single mode fiber for radiation of wavelength λ op , that has chromatic dispersion D(λ) at wavelength λ and that furthermore has a derivative with respect to wavelength D(λ)' of the chromatic dispersion at wavelength λ; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the DC fiber has chromatic dispersion D DC (λ) at wavelength and furthermore has a derivative with respect to wavelength D' DC (λ) of the chromatic dispersion at wavelength λ, with D DC (λ) and D' DC (λ) being of the opposite sign as D(λ) and D'(λ), respectively, at λ=λ op .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
The article of claim 1, wherein the DC fiber is selected such that L DC ·D DC (λ)+L·D(λ) is approximately equal to zero at λ op , and where in L is much greater than L DC .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 48 words
The article of claim 2, wherein the DC fiber is further-more selected such that the absolute value of [L DC ·D DC (λ)+L·D(λ)]/(L DC +L) is less than 1.5 ps/nm·km for all wavelengths in a wavelength range that is at least 50 nm and includes λ op .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The article of claim 1, wherein the DC fiber is selected such that D' DC (λ) is essentially equal to -(L/L DC )D'(λ) at λ=λ op .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 50 words
The article of claim 1, wherein the article is an optical fiber communication system that comprises a transmitter, a receiver, and an optical fiber transmission path signal-transmissively connecting the transmitter and the receiver, the transmission path comprising said lengths of fiber L DC and L, and wherein L>5L DC .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The article of claim 5, wherein L DC +L is substantially the total length of the transmission path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
The article of claim 5, wherein the optical fiber communication system further compromises an optical amplifier intermediate the transmitter and the receiver.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 44 words
The article of claim 7, comprising a plurality of optical amplifiers intermediate the transmitter and the receiver, wherein L DC +L is substantially the total length of the transmission path between a given optical amplifier and an optical amplifier adjacent to the given one.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 69 words
The article of claim 1, compromising first means for converting a lightwave signal of wavelength λ op from a first spatial mode to a second spatial mode, the second spatial mode being a higher order spatial mode than the first spatial mode; wherein the DC fiber supports propagation of the lightwave signal substantially in the second spatial mode and is connected to an output of the first converting means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 32 words
The article of claim 1, wherein said optical fiber that is single mode fiber for radiation of wavelength λ op has zero chromatic dispersion at a wavelength less that λ op .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 26 words
The article of claim 10, wherein the article is an optical fiber communication system, and wherein said wavelength less than λ op is about 1.3 μm.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4067642A Cited
US4261639A Cited
US4974931A Cited
US5185827A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-11-08 1997-05-10 1997-11-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-11-08 2001-05-10 2001-11-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-11-08 2005-05-10 2005-11-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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