Higher-order-mode dispersion compensation for broadband dispersion and non-linearity management in transmission systems

In summary, the HOM-DCM is a fiber-based technology that maintains the benefits of SM-DCF by utilizing the unique waveguide dispersion of a specially designed fiber. This approach naturally makes it a broadband as well as a low loss technology. The salient feature of the HOM-DCM is that it can achieve high RDS while maintaining a large effective area for the propagating signals. A complexity arises from the fact that the module requires mode-converters that can increase loss as well as cost of the module. This may be suitably addressed by recent advances in mode-converting fiber-gratings, as this takes advantage of a mature technological platform (namely, UV-induced fiber-gratings). All-fiber HOM-DCMs that use fiber-gratings for mode-conversion have achieved loss values that are comparable with, and in some case even lower than, SM-DCF.