Efficient and mode selective spatial mode multiplexer based on multi-plane light conversion
30 June 2014
We designed and built a new type of spatial mode multiplexer, based on Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC), with very low intrinsic loss and high mode selectivity. In this first demonstration we show that a typical 3-mode multiplexer achieves a mode selectivity better than -23 dB and a total insertion efficiency of -4.1 dB (optical coating improvements could increase efficiency to -2.4 dB), across the full C-band. Moreover this multiplexer is able to perform any mode conversion, and we demonstrate its performance for the first 6 eigenmodes of a few-mode fiber: LP01, LP11a, LP11b, LP02, LP21a and LP21b. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America