WDM/SDM transmission of 10 x 128-Gb/s PDM-QPSK over 2688-km 7-core fiber with a per-fiber net aggregate spectral-efficiency distance product of 40,320 km.b/s/Hz

We demonstrate 2688-km multi-span transmission using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) of ten 50-GHz spaced 128-Gb/s PDM-QPSK signals, space-division multiplexed (SDM) in a low-crosstalk 76.8-km seven-core fiber, achieving a record net aggregate per-fiber-spectral-efficiency-distance product of 40,320 km.b/s/Hz. The demonstration was enabled by a novel core-to-core signal rotation scheme implemented in a 7-fold, synchronized recirculating loop apparatus. (C)2012 Optical Society of America