All-fiber few-mode multicore photonic lantern mode multiplexer.

The emergence of space division multiplexing (SDM) for ultrahigh capacity networks has heralded pioneering Petabit-class optical transmission systems. In parallel to novel SDM fibers, a new class of components to enable scalable, low-loss schemes for unlocking fiber capacity is being developed. In this work, an all-fiber mode selective photonic lantern mode multiplexer designed for launching into few-mode multicore fibers is demonstrated. This device is capable of selectively exciting LP01, LP11a and LP11b modes in a seven-core configuration, resulting in 21 spatial channels, with less than 38 dB core-to-core crosstalk and insertion loss below 0.4 dB. The multicore photonic lantern multiplexer is scalable to larger number of cores and modes per core, and can be easily integrated with emerging ultra-high bandwidth few-mode multicore optical communication systems.