First demonstration of single-mode MCF transport network with crosstalk-aware in-service optical channel control

Multicore fiber (MCF) transmission is considered as one of the promising technologies for breaking the capacity limit of traditional single mode fibers (SMFs). Managing the XT and configuring optical paths adaptively based on the XT are important as well as achieving longer-distance and larger-capacity transmission, because inter-core crosstalk (XT) could be the main limiting factor for MCF transmission. In a real MCF network, the inter-core XT in a particular core is likely to change continuously as the optical paths in the adjacent cores are dynamically assigned to match the dynamic nature of the data traffic. If we configure the optical paths while ignoring the inter-core XT value, the Q-factors may become excessive. Therefore, monitoring the inter-core XT value continuously and configuring optical path parameters adaptively and flexibly are essential. To address these challenges, we develop an MCF transport network testbed and demonstrate an XT-aware traffic engineering scenario. With the help of a software-defined network (SDN) controller, the modulation format and optical path route are adaptively changed based on the monitored XT values by using programmable devices such as a real-time transponder and a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM)

32-core erbium/ytterbium-doped multicore fiber amplifier for next generation space-division multiplexed transmission system

We present a high-core-count 32-core multicore Erbium/Ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier (32c-MC-EYDFA) in a cladding pumped configuration. A side pumping technique is employed for ease of pump coupling in this monolithic all-fiber amplifier. A minimum gain of >17 dB and an average noise figure (NF) of 6.5 dB is obtained over all cores in the wavelength range 1534 nm-1561 nm for -4 dBm input signal power. The core-to-core variation for both amplifier gain and NF is measured to be <2 dB. The 32c-MC-EYDFA was then tested in a repeatered multicore fiber (MCF) loop system and transmission over distances >1850 km was successfully demonstrated. We also compare the total power consumption of our MC-EYDFAs with that of 32 conventional single core erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) to illustrate the potential power saving benefits

108 Tb/s transmission over 120 km of 7-core multicore fiber link with integrated cladding pumped multicore amplifiers

By employing time-domain hybrid modulations we maximize the throughput over a multicore fiber link. Modulation scheme ratio is adjusted according to the available OSNR at each spatial and wavelength channel achieving a net spectral efficiency of 39.27bit/s/Hz after 2×60km transmission

100-Gb/s transmission over a 2520-km integrated MCF system using cladding-pumped amplifiers

A 10.5-Tb/s optical transmission (15 × 100 Gb/s QPSK channels per core) over 2520 km of multicore fiber is achieved using an integrated multicore transmission link consisting of directly spliced multicore components, such as fan-in/fan-out fiber couplers, a 60-km trench-assisted seven-core hexagonal fiber and cladding-pumped erbium-ytterbium-doped fiber amplifiers

15 x 200 Gbit/s 16-QAM SDM transmission over an integrated 7-core cladding-pumped repeatered multicore link in a recirculating loop

We investigate a complete realistic integrated multicore system consisting of directly spliced components: homogeneous trench-assisted 7-core fiber with a length of 60 km, cladding-pumped 7-core amplifiers, integrated 7-core isolators, and fiberized fan-in/fan-out couplers. We analyze the performance of an in-line repeatered multicore transmission system in a recirculating loop by transmitting a 200 Gbit/s 16-QAM test channel and 14 x 100 Gbit/s QPSK neighboring channels between the wavelengths of 1558.58 nm and 1564.27 nm in a 50 GHz grid. For every position of the test channel within the considered band we demonstrate transmission distances over 720 km