Core element identification for heterogeneous multicore optical fibers

A method of identifying core elements within a heterogeneous multicore optical fiber, the method comprising:

• capturing, by an imaging system, a plurality of lateral images of the heterogeneous multicore optical fiber at a plurality of rotational orientations, each lateral image of the plurality of lateral images comprising a plurality of horizontal rows;
• determining, by a processor, an average intensity of each of the plurality of horizontal rows from each of the plurality of lateral images;
• compiling, by the processor, the average intensity of each of the plurality of horizontal rows from each of the plurality of lateral images into a plurality of datasets, each of the plurality of datasets corresponding to one of the plurality of lateral images;
• compounding, by the processor, the plurality of datasets into a compounded image;
• selecting, by the processor, a subset of the plurality of datasets from the plurality of datasets compounded into the compounded image;
• analyzing, by the processor, an image intensity of the compounded image against a vertical position of the image intensity in the compounded image of the subset of the plurality of datasets;
• and
• identifying, based on the analysis, a relative size of at least one structural component of each of at least two core elements present within the heterogeneous multicore optical fiber.

A method of identifying core elements within a multicore optical fiber, the method comprising:

• capturing, by an imaging system, an end-face image of the multicore optical fiber, wherein the multicore optical fiber comprises at least two core elements surrounded by a common cladding and each of the at least two core elements has a core region surrounded by a dedicated cladding region;
• estimating a location of a center of the core region of each of the at least two core elements;
• determining a position of an outer edge of the core region of each of the at least two core elements;
• determining a coordinate of the center of the core region of each of the at least two core elements using at least the determined position of the outer edge of the core region of each of the at least two core elements;
• analyzing a radial intensity profile of each of the at least two core elements using at least in part the determined coordinate of the center of the core region of each of the at least two core elements;
• and
• identify one of the at least two core elements from another one of the at least two core elements based on the analysis of the radial intensity profile.