A method of simultaneously specifying the wavelength dispersion and nonlinear
coefficient
of an optical fiber. Pulsed probe light and pulsed pump light are first caused
to enter an optical fiber to be measured. Then, the power oscillation of the back-scattered
light of the probe light or idler light generated within the optical fiber is measured.
Next, the instantaneous frequency of the measured power oscillation is obtained,
and the dependency of the instantaneous frequency relative to the power oscillation
of the pump light in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber is obtained.
Thereafter, a rate of change in the longitudinal direction between phase-mismatching
conditions and nonlinear coefficient of the optical fiber is obtained from the
dependency of the instantaneous frequency. And based on the rate of change, the
longitudinal wavelength-dispersion distribution and longitudinal nonlinear-coefficient
distribution of thee optical fiber are simultaneously specified.