Optical fibers for flexible networks and systems [Invited]

The attributes and characteristics of optical transmission fibers have evolved over the years to accommodate different system technologies and optimize overall system performance. In the emerging era of elastic or flexible networks, optical fibers will continue to play a key role in determining system reach and capacity. In this paper, we examine key characteristics of optical fibers for coherent transmission systems and review recent results that highlight the performance differences observed between fiber designs and between data rates such as 100 and 200 Gbits/s per channel that describe transceivers in current and near-future flexible networks.