Trans-Pacific class transmission over a standard cladding ultralow-loss 4-core fiber.

The total capacity of optical submarine cable systems as a global communication infrastructure must be continuously enlarged. Multi-core fibers (MCFs) have been studied as methods to maximize the total cable capacity under electrical power and cable space limitations. In particular, standard cladding MCFs, which are expected to have high productivity and mechanical reliability, are attractive for early deployment in submarine cable systems. In this paper, we demonstrate high-capacity trans-Pacific class transmission using standard cladding uncoupled 4-core fibers, achieving a transmission capacity of 55.94 Tbit/s over 12,040 km. In addition, based on the results of this and our previous coupled MCF transmission experiments, we summarize the characteristics of coupled and uncoupled MCFs applied to optical submarine cable systems.

2048-QAM transmission at 15 GBd over 100 km using geometric constellation shaping.

We experimentally investigated a pilot-aided digital signal processing (DSP) chain in combination with high-order geometric constellation shaping to increase the achievable information rates (AIRs) in standard intradyne coherent transmission systems. We show that the AIR of our system at 15 GBd was maximised using geometrically-shaped (GS) 2048 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), reaching 18.0 b/4D-symbol in back-to-back transmission and 16.9 b/4D-symbol after transmission through 100 km of a single-mode fibre after subtracting the pilot overhead (OH). This represents the highest-order GS format demonstrated to date, supporting the highest AIR of any standard intradyne system using conventional optics and 8-bit electronics. Detailed characterisation of the DSP, transceiver performance, and transmission modelling has also been carried out to provide insight into sources of impairments and directions for further improvement.

Spatial-light-modulator-based optical-fiber joint switch for few-mode multicore fibers.

To realize simplified cost-efficient optical networks with routing flexibility and scaling potential, a spatial-light-modulator-based optical-fiber joint switch for few-mode multicore fibers is proposed herein, which can route all spatial channels together as a unit. Numerical simulations and experiments were performed, and the results show that the signal paths for a 6-mode 19-core fiber can be simultaneously switched to the target output ports using the proposed method, and the mode-field patterns of the diffracted light can be maintained after joint switching. Further, the maximum port crosstalk can be reduced considerably from -11.6 to -25.1 dB by changing the position of the output port in the proposed method.

Effective area measurement of few-mode fiber using far field scan technique with Hankel transform generalized for circularly-asymmetric mode.

We report on a measurement method for the effective area of the few-mode fiber. We derived a transform equation between a near-field pattern and a far-field pattern generalized for circularly-asymmetric higher-order modes of a cylindrical core, and enabled effective area measurement of the higher-order modes using high-dynamic-range far-field scan technique and low-crosstalk mode multiplexer. The measured effective area values agreed well with the values that were numerically predicted using a finite-element method from the refractive index profile, when the modal crosstalk was suppressed.

Comparison of medical image classification accuracy among three machine learning methods.

BACKGROUND: Low-quality medical images may influence the accuracy of the machine learning process. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to compare accuracy of medical image classification among machine learning methods, as classification is a basic aspect of clinical image inspection. METHODS: Three types of machine learning methods were used, which include Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and Convolution Neural Network (CNN). To investigate changes in accuracy related to image quality, we constructed a single dataset using two different file formats of DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) and JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). RESULTS: The JPEG format contains less color information and data capacity than the DICOM format. CNN classification was accurate for both datasets, whereas SVM and ANN accuracy decreased with the loss of data from DICOM to JPEG formats. CONCLUSIONS: CNN is more accurate than conventional machine learning methods that utilize the manual feature extraction.

Reference-free holographic diversity interferometry via iterative measurements for high accuracy phase detection.

To obtain a phase distribution without the use of an optical path besides an object beam, a reference-free holographic diversity interferometry (RF-HDI) has been proposed. Although the RF-HDI can generate an internal reference beam from the object beam, the method has a problem of measurement accuracy due to insufficient power of the internal reference beam. To solve the problem, we newly propose a RF-HDI via iterative measurements. Our method improves the measurement accuracy by utilizing iterative measurements and feedback of each obtained phase image to the measurement system. In the experiment, the phase image, which has a random pattern, can be measured as an object beam with a higher accuracy than in the conventional RF-HDI. To support this result, we also evaluated the wavefront accuracy and optical power efficiency of an internal reference beam in this method. As a result, we verified that our method enables us to generate an internal reference beam that has the wavefront of a near single plane wave and a higher power efficiency than the conventional RF-HDI. In addition, our method can be applied to measurement for the modal content in an optical fiber, atmosphere turbulence, etc., where it is difficult to prepare an external reference beam with a high coherency.

Ultra-dense spatial-division-multiplexed optical fiber transmission over 6-mode 19-core fibers.

Ultra-dense spatial-division multiplexing (SDM) is achieved by mode multiplexed technique with multiple cores in a single fiber, namely few-mode multi-core fiber. Using a 9.8-km six-mode nineteen-core fiber, we demonstrate an ultra-dense SDM transmission of 16-channels wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) dual-polarization quadrature phase shift keying signals, achieving a record spatial multiplicity of 114. With the help of ultra-dense Super-Nyquist WDM techniques in the 4.5-THz bandwidth of the full C-band, we demonstrate 2.05 Pbit/s transmission over 9.8-km six-mode nineteen-core fibers. In this experiment, the highest aggregate spectral efficiency of 456 bit/s/Hz is achieved.

Mode demultiplexer using angularly multiplexed volume holograms.

This study proposes a volume holographic demultiplexer (VHDM) for extracting the spatial modes excited in a multimode fiber. A unique feature of the demultiplexer is that it can separate a number of multiplexed modes output from a fiber in different directions by using multi-recorded holograms without beam splitters, which results in a simple configuration as compared with that using phase plates instead of holograms. In this study, an experiment is conducted to demonstrate the basic operations for three LP mode groups to confirm the performance of the proposed VHDM and to estimate the signal-to-crosstalk noise ratio (SNR). As a result, an SNR of greater than 20 dB is obtained.

Selective multimode excitation using volume holographic mode multiplexer.

We propose a mode multiplexer based on volume holograms to realize a simple and efficient mode-division-multiplexed transmission system that supports a large number of modes. Selective multiexcitation of three spatial modes into a conventional multimode fiber is experimentally demonstrated. This device could potentially multiplex 10 or more modes. Future perspectives of the mode multiplexer for application in mode-division multiplexing are also discussed.