WAVEGUIDE NEW TYPE BIMODAL LAUNCHER FOR FIBER OPTIC SECURITY LINK

RESEARCHERS ARE DESIGNING, FABRICATING, AND TESTING A NEW TYPE OF BIMODAL LAUNCHER WHICH IS ABLE TO LAUNCH LOW-ORDER DATA MODES AND HIGH-ORDER MONITOR MODES SIMULTANEOUSLY INTO GRADED-INDEX OPTICAL FIBER FOR USE IN A SECURE COMMUNICATION LINK. GRADED-INDEX FIBER LINKS HAVE WIDE BANDWIDTH AND HIGH SECURITY CAPABILITIES. THREE LAUNCHERS ARE BEING FABRICATED AND TESTED FOR SECURITY AND STABILITY PERFORMANCE. THE LAUNCHERS HAVE INCREASED CAPABILITIES WITH TWO FEEDBACK CHANNELS AND AN ADDITIONAL CHANNEL FOR PERFORMING OTDR DIAGNOSTICS OF THE FIBER LINK. THE FEEDBACK CHANNELS ARE BEING USED TO STABILIZE THE DATA AND MONITOR DIODES, AND THE OTDR CHANNEL ARE BEING USED TO DETERMINE THE HEALTH OF THE FIBER OPTIC LINK AND ALSO TO PIN-POINT THE POINT OF INTRUSION WHEN IT OCCURS. THE LAUNCHER HAS A POTENTIAL FOR LOW COST PRODUCTION AND FOR THERMAL AND MECHANICAL STABILITY DUE TO NO MOVABLE MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENTS.