Multicore optical fiber
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsKevin Wallace Bennett, Douglas Llewellyn Butler, Matthew Artus Tuggle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multicore optical fiber may include a first core element, a second core element, a common cladding surrounding and contacting the first core element and the second core element, and a marker element. The first core element and the second core element may be disposed symmetrically on either side of a reference plane passing through a centerline of the multicore optical fiber and passing through the marker element. The marker element may be disposed asymmetrically about the reference plane.
Claims20
A multicore optical fiber, comprising:
- a first core element;
- a second core element;
- and
- a marker element;
- wherein:
- the first core element and the second core element are disposed symmetrically on either side of a reference plane passing through a centerline of the multicore optical fiber and passing through the marker element;
- and
- the marker element is disposed asymmetrically about the reference plane.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein:
- the reference plane is a first reference plane;
- a centerline of the first core element and a centerline of the second core element are disposed on a second reference plane;
- and
- the first reference plane is perpendicular to the second reference plane.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein:
- the multicore optical fiber comprises a plurality of core elements;
- the plurality of core elements comprises the first core element and the second core element;
- and
- a distance between a centerline of the first core element and a centerline of the second core element is less than or equal to a distance between centerlines of any two core elements of the plurality of core elements.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein the plurality of core elements is disposed symmetrically about the reference plane.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein the reference plane does not pass through a centerline of the marker element.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein the marker element comprises a plane of symmetry passing through the centerline of the multicore optical fiber, and wherein an angle between the plane of symmetry of the marker element and the reference plane about which the first core element and the second core element are symmetrically disposed is greater than or equal to 0.5° and/or less than or equal to 10°.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein the marker element comprises a circular cross section.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein the length of the reference plane passing through the marker element is less than or equal to 99.8% of the diameter of the marker element and/or greater than or equal to 20% of the diameter of the marker element.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein the marker element satisfies at least one of the following:
- wherein a diameter of the marker element is less than a mode field diameter (MFD) of at least one or each of the first core element or the second core element measured at a wavelength of 1310 nm;
- wherein the diameter of the marker element is greater than or equal to ⅓ of the mode field diameter (MFD) of the at least one or each of the first core element or the second core element measured at a wavelength of 1310 nm;
- and/or
- wherein the diameter of the marker element is less than or equal to ½ of the mode field diameter (MFD) of the at least one or each of the first core element or the second core element measured at a wavelength of 1310 nm.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, further comprising a common cladding surrounding and contacting the first core element and the second core element, wherein the marker element is the only marker element disposed in the common cladding.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein a refractive index of the marker element is different from a refractive index of the common cladding.
A multicore optical fiber, comprising:
- a first end;
- a second end opposite the first end;
- a length between the first end and the second end;
- a first core element extending along the length of the multicore optical fiber from the first end to the second end;
- a second core element extending along the length of the multicore optical fiber from the first end to the second end;
- and
- a marker element;
- wherein:
- the first end defines a first cross section of the multicore optical fiber;
- the second end defines a second cross section of the multicore optical fiber;
- and
- the first core element, the second core element, and the marker element are configured such that when the second cross section is superimposed on the first cross section with a centerline of a first cross-sectional shape of the first core element from the first cross section being aligned with a centerline of a second cross-sectional shape of the second core element from the second cross section, a third cross-sectional shape of the marker element from the first cross section partially overlaps with and is offset from a fourth cross-sectional shape of the marker element from the second cross section.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, a distance between a centerline of the first core element and a centerline of the second core element at the first end is less than or equal to a distance between centerlines of any two core elements of the multicore optical fiber at the first end.
The multicore optical fiber of claim of, wherein an area of the third cross-sectional shape of the marker element from the first cross section that overlaps with the fourth cross-sectional shape of the marker element from the second cross section is greater than or equal to 10% of an entire area of the third cross-sectional shape.
The multicore optical fiber of claim of, wherein an area of the third cross-sectional shape of the marker element from the first cross section that overlaps with the fourth cross-sectional shape of the marker element from the second cross section is less than or equal to 95% of an entire area of the third cross-sectional shape.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein:
- the marker element comprises a circular cross section;
- the first core element and the second core element are disposed symmetrically on either side of a reference plane passing through a centerline of the multicore optical fiber and passing through the marker element;
- and
- a length of the reference plane passing through the marker element is less than a diameter of the marker element.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein the length of the reference plane passing through the marker element is less than or equal to 99.8% of the diameter of the marker element and/or greater than or equal to 20% of the diameter of the marker element.
A multicore optical fiber, comprising:
- a first end;
- a second end opposite the first end;
- a length between the first end and the second end;
- a core element extending along the length of the multicore optical fiber from the first end to the second end;
- a marker element;
- and
- a common cladding surrounding and contacting the core element and the marker element;
- wherein:
- the first end defines a first cross section of the multicore optical fiber;
- the second end defines a second cross section of the multicore optical fiber;
- and
- the core element and the marker element are configured such that when the second cross section is superimposed on the first cross section with a centerline of a first cross-sectional shape of the marker element from the first cross section being aligned with a centerline of a second cross-sectional shape of the marker element from the second cross section, a third cross-sectional shape of the core element from the first cross section partially overlaps with and is offset from a fourth cross-sectional shape of the core element from the second cross section.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein an area of overlap between the third cross-sectional shape of the core element from the first cross section and the fourth cross-sectional shape of the core element from the second cross section is less than or equal to 95% of an entire area of the third cross-sectional shape of the core element.
The multicore optical fiber of claim, wherein an area of overlap between the third cross-sectional shape of the core element from the first cross section and the fourth cross-sectional shape of the core element from the second cross section is greater than or equal to 10% of an entire area of the third cross-sectional shape of the core element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.