Power Transfer in Curved Polymer Optical Fibers

Polymer optical fibres (POFs) are an inexpensive alternative to their glass counterparts for short-reach applications. Because they can be interconnected by low-precision plastic components, they are suitable for mass-market applications (such as for beam-power delivery within machines or for interconnecting wireless hubs in buildings). An important distinction between POFs and glass fibres is a much stronger mode mixing in POFs. It causes the power distribution to become independent of the input conditions after just tens of metres of the fibre and even less if the fibre is curved repeatedly (which is unavoidable in mass-market installations). Much research by many authors has been done over the last four decades to characterize mode mixing in straight fibres. However, installations in confined spaces (e.g. buildings) require frequent bending of the fibre to negotiate corners. This project will complete the methodology for evaluating mode mixing in curved (bent) POFs. It will also separate individual mixing mechanisms, and analyze effects on equipment manufactured by Hong Kong companies to produce a design guideline.