Broadband Mode Scramblers for Few-Mode Fibers Based on 3D Printed Mechanically Induced Long-Period Fiber Gratings

Abstract

We present simple, low loss and broadband mode scramblers for mode division multiplexed (MDM) transmission based on few-mode fibers. By simply shortening the length of the long-period fiber grating (LPFG), the optical bandwidth is significantly enhanced and >260 nm bandwidth is predicted in our simulations with a grating length of 0.613 cm. In an experimental demonstration we fabricate a mechanically induced LPFGs using a commercially available 3-dimentional (3D) printing technique and wideband operation is confirmed over the C band with a low loss (0.2 dB) and low mode dependent loss (0.1 dB).

Mechanically Induced Long-Period Fiber Gratings and Applications

“…Furthermore, the device is cost-effective with a simple structure, showcasing significant potential for various other optical fiber sensing applications. The mechanically induced LPFGs are also widely used in applications such as tunable band-passed filter [61], ring laser in the L-band [62], EDFA gain flatter [63], OAM mode generator [64,65], and mode converter [66,67]. The applications of the mechanically induced LPFGs are advancing toward the future.…”