High-speed (11 Gbit/s) data transmission using perfluorinated graded-indexpolymer optical fibers for short interconnects (< 100 m)

Perfluorinated graded-index polymer optical fibers (GI-POF's) have been dev eloped that offer low losses (<50 dB/km) and high bandwidth (>0.3 GHz.km) a t data communication wavelengths (0.85 and 1.3 mu m). Here we demonstrate t hat such fibers can support data rates up to 11 Gbit/s for 100 m with low-p ower penalty and large-power margins. Although a restricted launch was used , differential mode delay measurements show that, in a large central region of the fiber core (50% of the core diameter), very large bandwidths can be obtained with modest alignment requirements. These improved transmission c haracteristics (obtained using inexpensive, uncooled, unisolated 1.3-mu m F abry-Perot sources and pin detectors) together with potential low-cost conn ectorization and a small fiber bend-radius make perfluorinated GI-POF's a c andidate for premise networks and short-reach telecom and computer intercon nections.