Interferometric chromatic dispersion measurements on short lengths of monomode optical fiber

Chromatic dispersion measurements on short lengths of monomode optical fiber by the technique of ´white light´ interferometry are presented. Improved optoelectronic signal processing and rigorous data reduction techniques have resulted in a temporal resolution of >or=7*10/sup -5/ ps.nm/sup -1/ in a 1-m length of fiber, equivalent to 0.06% resolution in the measurement technique. This is equivalent to a first-order chromatic dispersion coefficient (D( lambda )) resolution of 0.07 ps.nm/sup -1/./sup -1/. The second-order chromatic dispersion coefficient (S( lambda )) resolution was 0.02 ps.nm/sup -2/.nm/sup -1/. Experimental results of D( lambda ) and S( lambda ) for three different fibers are compared to theoretical calculation of material and waveguide dispersion.<>