Accurate modal characterization of passive components based on selective excitation of optical fibers

Modal performances of multimode optical passive components are measured by use of a selective excitation techique. Pure LP_m1 modes up to LP_{15 1} mode are generated in a Ti: sapphire laser cavity and launched in the input fiber of the component under test. Azimuthal dependency of the LP₁₁ mode excitation coefficient is used in an accurate centering technique of monomode and multimode splices or connectors.