US 2005/0238307 A1 · Nonlinear optical fibre method of its production and use thereof

Abstract

An optical fibre having a longitudinal direction and a cross-section perpendicular thereto, said fibre in a cross-section comprising: (a) a core region (11) having a refractive index profile with a highest refractive index nc, and (b) a cladding region comprising cladding features (10) having a centre-to-centre spacing, Λ, and a diameter, d, of around 0.4Λ or larger, wherein nc, Λ and d are adapted such that the fibre exhibits zero dispersion wavelength of a fundamental mode in the wavelength range from 1530 nm to 1640 nm; a method of producing such a fibre; and use of such an optical fibre in e.g. an optical communication system, in an optical fibre laser, in an optical fibre amplifier, in an optical fibre Raman amplifier, in a dispersion compensator, in a dispersion and/or dispersion slope compensator.

Claims33

Dependent claims

An optical fibre for transmitting light of at least one predetermined wavelength λ, the optical fibre (50) having a longitudinal direction and a cross-section perpendicular thereto, the optical fibre comprising:

(a) a core region (51) comprising a core material of refractive index nc;
and
(b) a cladding region, said cladding region surrounding said core region and comprising low-index cladding features (52) of refractive index n1 arranged in a background cladding material (53) of refractive index nb,
characterized in that;
said cladding region further comprising first inner cladding features (54) of refractive index n1 and second inner cladding features of refractive index n2, wherein n2 is lower than nc, and n2 is higher than n1, and
said first inner cladding features and said second inner cladding features are arranged proximal to said core region, and
n2 is lower than nb.

4 more elements

A method of producing a microstructured optical fibre, the method comprising:

(a) providing a preform by providing and arranging preform elements in the following predetermined structure:
at least one high-index rod (151) to form a core region of the preform comprising a material having a refractive index nc,
and surrounding said high-index rod by first elements of capillary tubes (152) made of a material having a refractive index nb and low-index rods (153) made of a material having a refractive index n2 where n2 is smaller than nb and nc to form an inner cladding region proximal to said at least one high-index rod, said first elements of capillary tubes (152) and low-index rods (153) providing first and second inner cladding features in the final fibre, and
surrounding said at least one high-index rod, said first elements of capillary tubes (152) and said low-index rods (153) by outer elements of capillary tubes (154) made of a material having a refractive index nb providing the outer part of the micro-structured cladding;
and
(b) optionally consolidating said structure, preferably by a heat treatment;
and
(c) drawing said preform to an optical fibre with predetermined dimension under a controlled heat treatment;
or
(d) drawing said preform to a preform cane (161) with predetermined dimension under a controlled heat treatment, followed by drawing said preform cane to an optical fibre with predetermined dimension under a controlled heat treatment, optionally providing one or more overcladding tubes (162, 163) to said preform cane and drawing said one or more overcladding tubes and preform cane to an optical fibre with predetermined dimension under a controlled heat treatment.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Nonlinear optical fibre method of its production and use thereof

Life of this patent

Nonlinear optical fibre method of its production and use thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33