High-fidelity spatial mode transmission through a 1-km-long multimode fiber via vectorial time reversal
1The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA. yzhou62@ur.rochester.edu.
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Summary
We developed a vectorial time reversal technique to overcome modal crosstalk and polarization mixing in long multimode fibers. This method achieves over 80% modal fidelity, enabling high-capacity quantum and classical communications.
Area of Science:
- Optical Communications
- Quantum Information Science
- Photonics
Background:
- Multimode fibers offer high channel capacity for communications.
- Modal crosstalk and polarization mixing limit practical applications of long multimode fibers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To overcome limitations in long multimode fiber communications.
- To demonstrate a novel technique for preserving signal integrity over distance.
Main Methods:
- Developed and experimentally demonstrated a vectorial time reversal technique.
- Digitally pre-shaped wavefront and polarization of signal beam as phase conjugate of a probe beam.
- Utilized an unstabilized 1-km-long fiber.
Main Results:
- Achieved an average modal fidelity above 80% for 210 spatial modes (Laguerre-Gauss and Hermite-Gauss).
- Successfully mitigated modal crosstalk and polarization mixing challenges.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of the technique over a kilometer of fiber.
Conclusions:
- Vectorial time reversal is a viable technique for high-fidelity signal transmission in long multimode fibers.
- This method enables practical and scalable spatial-mode-multiplexed quantum communication protocols.
- Opens possibilities for significantly boosting communication channel capacities.