Investigation into propagation phenomena in multimode fiber for industrial applications

多模玻璃纤维(MMF)中低阶和高阶模式之间的激发和相互作用还不是很清楚。这有助于脉冲展宽和信号衰减，并未充分利用已安装的MMF的信息承载能力(数据速率)(仅在北美估计就有2亿公里)。通过对MMF中短脉冲传播的基本物理和统计知识的了解，加拿大将能够在一系列工业应用中应用：包括在局域网中通过MMF进行40 Gb/S(和/或更高)传输、通过量子加密进行低成本、安全的数据加密，以及通过基于MMF的光学传感器检测饮用水中的重金属。拟议的研究涉及波导设计、激光物理和通信理论中的基本实验和建模组件，非常符合加拿大在光学部门信息和通信技术方面的战略地位。需要能够适应潜在危险外部条件的准确传感器，以即时监测老化以及国家和世界范围内的新基础设施(如道路、桥梁)所带来的应力和应变。作为一个财富依赖于自然资源(如农业、水)的国家，低成本和高性能的传感器将成为加拿大国民经济的重要组成部分，特别是在全球环境管理意识日益增强的时代。拟议的研究针对广泛的商业利益领域，旨在创造与工业相关的最终产品，并培养两名高素质的博士水平的人员。这将加强加拿大在信息、安全和环境监测部门的技术和经济领先地位。

The excitation and interaction between lower and higher order modes in multimode glass fibres (MMF) is not well understood. This contributes to pulse broadening and signal attenuation, and under-utilizes theinformation carrying capacity (data-rate) of installed MMF (estimated at 200-million kilometres alone in North America). By developing a fundamental understanding of the underlying physics and statistics of short pulse propagation in MMF, Canada will be capable of a range of industrial applications: including 40-Gb/s transmissions (and/or above) over MMF in local area networks, low-cost, secure data encryption through quantum cryptography, and heavy metal detection in drinking water by MMF-based optical sensors. The proposed research involves fundamental experimental and modeling components in waveguide design, laser physics, and communication theories, and fits well with Canada's strategic position in information and communication technologies in the optical sector. Accurate sensors resilient to potentially hazardous external conditions are needed to monitor instantaneously the stress and strain carried by aging as well as new infrastructures (e.g. roads, bridges) nationally and worldwide. As a country whose wealth depends on its natural resources (e.g. agriculture, water), low-cost and high performance sensors will be an essential part of Canada's national economy, especially in an era of increasing global awareness for environmental stewardship.The proposed research targets areas of vast commercial interests, aims at creating end-products that are relevant to industry, and trains two highly qualified personnel at the doctorate level. This will strengthen Canada's technological and economic lead in the information, security and environmental monitoring sectors.