Improved analog optical links using few mode fiber

When an analog signal cannot be immediately digitized, radio frequency (RF) photonics may be used to transport the signal over a fiber optic cable [1]. In a fiber optic link, the link gain, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and dynamic range of long distance analog fiber optic links are limited by the transmitted optical power due to fiber nonlinearities, most notably, stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) [2]. We report the replacement of the standard single mode fiber SMF transmission medium with connectorized SMF-compatible few mode fiber (FMF) that suppresses the nonlinear SBS impairments, thus affording better performance of the RF photonic link.