Patent ID: 7283701

Claim:
A multi-mode optical fiber link comprising: a) a single-mode optical fiber having an input that receives an optical signal for transmission through the multi-mode optical fiber link; b) a first spatial mode converter having an input that is coupled to an output of the single-mode optical fiber, the first spatial mode converter converting the optical signal to a plurality of modes including a fundamental mode with information content and conditioning a modal profile, thereby reducing modal dispersion and increasing an effective bandwidth of the optical signal, of the optical signal for propagation through a multi-mode optical fiber; c) a multi-mode optical fiber having an input that is coupled to an output of the first spatial mode converter, the multi-mode optical fiber propagating the optical signal having the plurality of modes; and d) a second spatial mode converter having an input that is coupled to an output of the multi-mode optical fiber, the second spatial mode converter reducing a number of optical modes in the optical signal, wherein both the first and the second spatial mode converters increase an effective modal bandwidth of the optical signal propagating through an output of the second spatial mode converter.