ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews a method for the semi-analytical modelling of linear mode coupling and explores the study of nonlinear performance of few-mode fiber links operating in all different linear coupling regimes and mode delay maps. It presents the optimum link configurations minimizing the nonlinear penalty at practical levels of equalization complexity. The nonlinear performance of few-mode fibers (FMFs) is studied for all different linear coupling regimes and mode delay maps, in order to find the optimum link configuration minimizing the nonlinear penalty for practical equalization complexities. In the presence of extreme mode coupling strength, it has been shown that the nonlinear distortion can be modelled using averaged coefficients instead of explicitly considering and solving for random coupling matrices. The total nonlinear noise generated can be analytically calculated using a generalization of single-mode fibers four-wave mixing theory to FMFs.
