Multimode optical communication

1. An apparatus comprising:

an optical transmitter comprising a set of optical waveguides and first, second, and third optical modulators; and

wherein output ends of the optical waveguides of the set form a lateral output array for end-coupling the optical waveguides of the set to a multimode optical fiber in response to the array being located to optically face one end of the multimode optical fiber; and

wherein the first optical modulator is optically connected to a first of the optical waveguides of the set and each of the second and third optical modulators is optically connected to the second and third of the optical waveguides of the set; and

wherein the set of optical waveguides is configured to provide a coupling matrix or rank three or more between the optical modulators and optical propagation modes in the multimode optical fiber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set includes first and second optical fiber bundles, the second and third optical waveguides of the set being optical fibers of the first and second optical fiber bundles, respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set includes first and second multicore optical fibers, the first and second optical waveguides of the set being optical fibers of the first and second multicore optical fibers, respectively.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set of optical waveguides includes at least five optical waveguides whose output ends form the lateral output array capable of end-coupling the optical waveguides of the set to the multimode optical fiber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical transmitter further comprises a second set of optical waveguides and first, second, and third additional optical modulators; and

wherein output ends of the optical waveguides of the second set form a second lateral output array capable of end-coupling the optical waveguides of the second set to a multimode optical fiber in response to the second array being located to optically face an end of the multimode optical fiber; and

wherein the first additional optical modulator is optically connected to a first of the optical waveguides of the second set; and

wherein each of the second and third additional optical modulators is optically connected to the second and third of the optical waveguides of the second set.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the two arrays form a single physical array with the outputs of the optical waveguides of both sets.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second set of optical waveguides is configured to provide a coupling matrix or rank three or more between the additional optical modulators and optical propagation modes in the multimode optical fiber.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first set and the optical modulators connected thereto are configured to output light to the multimode optical fiber with a polarization substantially orthogonal to a polarization of light that the second set and the additional optical modulators are configured to output to the multimode optical fiber.

9. An apparatus comprising:

an optical receiver comprising a set of optical waveguides and first, second, and third optical data demodulators; and

wherein input ends of the optical waveguides of the set form a lateral input array for end-coupling the optical waveguides of the set to a multimode optical fiber in response to the array being located to optically face one end of the multimode optical fiber; and

wherein the first optical data demodulator is optically connected to a first of the optical waveguides of the set and each of the second and third optical data demodulators is optically connected to the second and third of the optical waveguides of the set; and

wherein the set of optical waveguides is configured to provide a coupling matrix or rank three or more between the optical data demodulators and optical propagation modes in the multimode optical fiber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the set includes first and second optical fiber bundles, the second and third optical waveguides of the set being optical fibers of the first and second optical fiber bundles, respectively.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the set includes first and second multicore optical fibers, the first and second optical waveguides of the set being optical fibers of the first and second multicore optical fibers, respectively.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the set of optical waveguides includes at least five optical waveguides whose input ends form the lateral input array capable of end-coupling the optical waveguides of the set to the multimode optical fiber.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the optical receiver further comprises a second set of optical waveguides and first, second, and third additional optical data demodulators; and

wherein input ends of the optical waveguides of the second set form a second lateral input array capable of end-coupling the optical waveguides of the second set to a multimode optical fiber in response to the second array being located to optically face an end of the multimode optical fiber; and

wherein the first additional optical data demodulator is optically connected to a first of the optical waveguides of the second set; and

wherein each of the second and third additional optical data demodulators is optically connected to the second and third of the optical waveguides of the second set.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the two arrays form a single physical array with the inputs of the optical waveguides of both sets.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second set of optical waveguides is configured to provide an optical coupling matrix or rank three or more between the additional optical data demodulators and optical propagation modes in the multimode optical fiber.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first set and the optical data demodulators connected thereto are configured to receive light from the multimode optical fiber with a polarization substantially orthogonal to a polarization of light that the second set and the additional optical modulators are configured to receive from the multimode optical fiber.

17. A method of optically transmitting digital data, comprising:

transmitting a first data modulated optical carrier to a first optical waveguide that is end-coupled to a multimode optical fiber such that the first modulated optical carrier is transmitted preferentially to a first propagation mode of the multimode optical fiber;

transmitting each of second and third modulated optical carriers to both second and third optical waveguides that are end-coupled to the multimode optical fiber such that the second modulated optical carrier is transmitted preferentially to a second propagation mode of the multimode optical fiber and the third modulated optical carrier is transmitted preferentially to a third propagation mode of the multimode optical fiber; and

wherein the first, second and third propagation modes are orthogonal propagation modes in the multimode optical fiber.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second propagation mode has a phase that increases as a circle about the axis of the multimode optical fiber is traversed in one direction and the third propagation mode has a phase that increases as the circle is traversed in an opposite direction.

19. A method of optically receiving digital data, comprising:

demodulating data from light received from a multimode optical fiber via a first optical waveguide end-coupled thereto such that the received light is preferentially from a first propagation mode of the multimode optical fiber;

demodulating data from other light received from the multimode optical fiber via both second and third optical waveguides end-coupled thereto such that the other light is preferentially from a second propagation mode of the multimode optical fiber;

demodulating data from yet other light received from the multimode optical waveguide via both the second and third optical waveguides such that the yet other light is preferentially from a third propagation mode of the multimode optical fiber; and

wherein the first, second and third propagation modes are orthogonal propagation modes in the multimode optical fiber.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the second propagation mode has a phase that increases on a circle about the axis of the multimode optical fiber as circle is swept out in one manner and the third propagation mode has a phase that increases on the circle about the axis of the multimode optical fiber as circle is swept out in an opposite manner.