Experimental evaluation of nonlinear crosstalk in multi-core fiber

In this paper we evaluate experimentally and model theoretically the nonlinear crosstalk random process in multi-core fiber. The experimental results indicate that mode coupling in multi-core fibers is reduced in presence of fiber Kerr nonlinearities. An analytical study of the inter-core crosstalk probability density function in nonlinear regime is performed, where the theoretical distribution, derived from the nonlinear coupled-mode equation, is experimentally validated in homogeneous four-core fiber. The herein presented analysis includes the evaluation of the inter-core crosstalk probability density function, mean and variance evolution considering the optical power launched into the fiber. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America