Optical fiber with longitudinally dependent zero-dispersion wavelength and method of making same

An optical fiber comprising:

• a longitudinal axis;
• a length extending along the longitudinal axis;
• a core region centered about the longitudinal axis to a core radius (rc) from the longitudinal axis, the core comprising a core composition and exhibiting a core refractive index;
• an inner cladding region disposed radially outward of the core region from the core radius (rc) to an inner cladding radius (ric) from the longitudinal axis, the inner cladding region comprising an inner cladding composition and exhibiting an inner cladding refractive index that is less than the core refractive index;
• a trench cladding region disposed radially outward of the inner cladding region from the inner cladding radius (ric) to a trench cladding radius (rtc), the trench cladding region comprising a trench cladding composition and exhibiting a trench cladding refractive index that is less than the inner cladding refractive index;
• and
• an outer cladding region disposed radially outward of the trench cladding region from the trench cladding radius (rtc) to an outer cladding radius (roc), the outer cladding region comprising an outer cladding composition and exhibiting an outer cladding refractive index that is greater than the trench cladding refractive index,
• wherein, the core radius (rc), the inner cladding radius (ric), the trench cladding radius (rtc), and the outer cladding radius (roc) are all substantially constant as a function of position along the length of the optical fiber,
• wherein, the core composition, the inner cladding composition, the trench cladding composition, and the outer cladding composition are all substantially constant as a function of position along the length of the optical fiber,
• wherein, the core refractive index, the inner cladding refractive index, the trench cladding refractive index, and the outer cladding refractive index all vary as a function of position along the length of the optical fiber, and
• wherein, the optical fiber has a non-uniform distribution of zero-dispersion wavelength along the length of the optical fiber, with the zero-dispersion wavelength repeatedly rising and falling in sequence along the length of the optical fiber, and comprising an average zero-dispersion wavelength within a range of from 1300 nm to 1324 nm and a peak-to-valley variation greater than or equal to 5 nm.