Zero-dispersion wavelength

In telecommunication, the term zero-dispersion wavelength has the following meanings:

1. In a single-mode optical fiber, the wavelength or wavelengths at which material dispersion and waveguide dispersion cancel one another.

Note: In all silica-based optical fibers, minimum material dispersion occurs naturally at a wavelength of approximately 1.3 μm. Single-mode fibers may be made of silica-based glasses containing dopants that shift the material-dispersion wavelength, and thus, the zero-dispersion wavelength, toward the minimum-loss window at approximately 1.55 μm. The engineering tradeoff is a slight increase in the minimum attenuation coefficient.

2. Loosely, in a multimode optical fiber, the wavelength at which material dispersion is minimum, i.e. , essentially zero. Synonym minimum-dispersion wavelength.

Source: from Federal Standard 1037C