Alkali doped mulitcore optical fiber with reduced devitrification

Abstract

A method of making a multicore optical fiber preform, the method including consolidating a preform assembly to form the multicore optical fiber preform, the preform assembly including a plurality of core canes such that each core cane is disposed within an axial hole of a sleeve, each core cane including a core section of alkali doped silica glass such that the silica glass has a maximum alkali concentration between about 0.10 wt. % and about 10 wt. %, the core section of each core cane being encased by the sleeve along a height of the core cane and by covers disposed at first and second axial ends of the core section, and the covers including silica glass having a chlorine concentration of about 0.05 wt. % or less.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.