High-speed (11 Gbit/s) data transmission using perfluorinated graded-index polymer optical fibers for short interconnects (<100 m)

Perfluorinated graded-index polymer optical fibers (GI-POF's) have been developed that offer low losses (0.3 GHz km) at data communication wavelengths (0.85 and 1.3 μm). Here we demonstrate that such fibers can support data rates up to 11 Gbit/s for 100 m with low-power penalty and large-power margins. Although a restricted launch was used, differential mode delay measurements show that, in a large central region of the fiber core (50% of the core diameter), very large bandwidths can be obtained with modest alignment requirements. These improved transmission characteristics (obtained using inexpensive, uncooled, unisolated 1.3-μm Fabry-Perot sources and pin detectors) together with potential low-cost connectorization and a small fiber bend-radius make perfluorinated GI-POF's a candidate for premise networks and short-reach telecom and computer interconnections.