Advances in Multimode Optical Fibers and Related Technologies

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Optoelectronics and Optical Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2025 | Viewed by 319

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Corning Incorporated, SP-AR-01-2, Corning, NY 14831, USA
Interests: short-reach optical communications; multimode fibers; specialty fibers; fiber measurement

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Corning Incorporated, SP-AR-01-2, Corning, NY 14831, USA
Interests: multimode fibers; data center inter/intra-connects

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Multimode fibers (MMFs) paired with Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) have been extensively deployed for short-reach communications, covering distances from a few meters up to 100 meters or more. With a larger core diameter compared to single-mode fibers, MMFs allow for easier light coupling and simplified installation and alignment processes. VCSELs, cost-effective light sources for short-reach applications, are commonly used with MMFs. Various types of multimode fibers, such as OM3 and OM4, support different bandwidths and distances, making them ideal for high-speed connections ranging from 10 to 400 Gbps within data centers. The VCSEL-MMF ecosystem is both cost-effective and power-efficient.

However, MMFs face several challenges when scaling up to data rates of 100G and 200G per lane, primarily due to bandwidth limitations. As data rates increase, modal dispersion becomes more pronounced, leading to signal degradation and reduced transmission distances. Another significant challenge is the need for higher-quality components, such as advanced VCSELs, to maintain signal integrity at higher data rates, which can increase the overall cost and complexity of the system. Despite these challenges, the VCSEL-MMF solution still holds advantages over other competing technologies, moving toward higher data rates and higher density.

On the other hand, several major opportunities are emerging for MMF technology. The rise of AI and GPU-based computing has accelerated data rate increases, with the latest GPU architectures paving the way towards 200G speeds. VCSEL-MMF-based optical interconnects provide cost-effective and power-efficient solutions for connecting memory and GPUs, increasingly replacing copper cables, which are limited in distance and bandwidth.

MMF technology is also advancing in various application domains. One such area is its use in high-density fiber bundles, serving as a replacement for copper in AI "scale-up" applications. Another potential application for MMFs is the next-generation solution for in-vehicle optical networks (IVONs), for which the new standard (IEEE 802.3cz) has been established.

This Special Issue aims to present original state-of-the-art research articles covering the latest developments in the field. Researchers are invited to submit their contributions. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • 100G/lane and 200G/lane VCSEL transmission over MMFs;
  • Bandwidth requirements for high-data-rate MMF transmission;
  • High-density multimode fiber bundles for AI-based computing;
  • Multimode fibers used in in-vehicle optical networks;
  • Density requirements and high-density multimode solutions;
  • Advances in next-generation high-speed VCSELs;
  • Techno-economic analysis of short-reach interconnect solutions in data centers or AI spaces;
  • Encircled flux and launch conditions within VCSEL-multimode fiber systems;
  • Mode-division multiplexed transmission over multimode fibers.

Dr. Xin Chen
Dr. Hao Dong
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • multimode fibers
  • modal bandwidth
  • VCSELs

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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13 pages, 1573 KiB  
Article
Modal Bandwidth Enhancement Through Launch Condition Optimization for High Data Rate VCSEL Transmission Over Multimode Fibers
by Xin Chen, Simit Patel, Hao Dong, Hao Chen, Jason E. Hurley, Nikolay Ledentsov and Ming-Jun Li
Photonics 2025, 12(7), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12070654 - 28 Jun 2025
Viewed by 118
Abstract
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)-based transmission over multimode fiber (MMF) has achieved data rates of 100G per lane and is progressing towards 200G/lane, which demands more modal bandwidth from MMF to ensure adequate transmission reach. We address the needs of higher modal bandwidth from [...] Read more.
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)-based transmission over multimode fiber (MMF) has achieved data rates of 100G per lane and is progressing towards 200G/lane, which demands more modal bandwidth from MMF to ensure adequate transmission reach. We address the needs of higher modal bandwidth from the point of view of engineering VCSEL launch conditions. We explore the options for using subsets of 10 standard-based launch conditions by analyzing the measured encircled fluxes from commercial VCSEL transceivers over two options. By utilizing experimentally measured MMF data, we demonstrated a significant improvement in modal bandwidth with these options. The launch conditions also impact the wavelength dependence of modal bandwidth for VCSELs operating at wavelengths longer than 850 nm. We conducted detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the wavelength dependence of modal bandwidth over MMFs. For one launch condition option using a smaller area, the modal bandwidths are improved over the effective modal bandwidth (EMB), and favor very high data rate transmission by allowing the use of a smaller area photodetector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multimode Optical Fibers and Related Technologies)
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