Microstructured optical fiber with improved transmission efficiency and durability

An optical fiber comprising:

• a core region surrounding longitudinal axis of the optical fiber, said core region comprising a core material having a plurality of void regions interposed therein, said void regions being elongated and parallel to the center longitudinal axis, said void regions occupying a first percentage of the area of a cross-section of the core region;
• and
• a cladding region surrounding said core region, said cladding region comprising a cladding material with a plurality of void regions interposed therein, said void regions being elongated and parallel to the center longitudinal axis, said void regions occupying a second percentage of the area of a cross-section of the cladding region, said second percentage being greater than said first percentage;
• whereby said cladding region has a lower effective index of refraction than said core region for allowing propagation of light waves through the optical fiber by an index-guiding effect;
• and
• wherein the largest cross-sectional dimension of any structure in the core microstructure less than 20% of the wavelength of light being propagated through the optical fiber.

An optical fiber for propagating light in a longitudinal direction according to an index guiding effect, comprising:

• a microstructured core comprising a plurality of hollow, longitudinally extending core cells formed by core material, the core material occupying a first percentage of a cross-section of said microstructured core;
• a microstructured cladding surrounding the microstructured core, said microstructured cladding comprising a plurality of hollow, longitudinally extending cladding cells formed by cladding material, the cladding material occupying a second percentage of a cross-section of said microstructured cladding;
• wherein said first percentage is greater than said second percentage for causing said microstructured core to have a higher effective index of refraction than said microstructured cladding for allowing index-guiding of light waves through the optical fiber;
• and
• wherein an average cross-sectional dimension of said core cells and cladding cells is less than 0.1 μm, and wherein said core cells and cladding cells are amorphously arranged with respect to a cross-section of said optical fiber.

An optical fiber for propagating light in a longitudinal direction according to an index guiding effect, comprising:

• a microstructured core comprising a plurality of hollow, longitudinally extending core cells formed by core material, the core material occupying a first percentage of a cross-section of said microstructured core;
• a microstructured cladding surrounding the microstructured core, said microstructured cladding comprising a plurality of hollow, longitudinally extending cladding cells formed by cladding material, the cladding material occupying a second percentage of a cross-section of said microstructured cladding;
• wherein said first percentage is greater than said second percentage for causing said microstructured core to have a higher effective index of refraction than said microstructured cladding for allowing index-guiding of light waves through the optical fiber;
• and
• wherein an average cross-sectional dimension of said core cells and cladding cells is less than 0.1 μm.

An optical fiber for propagating light in a longitudinal direction according to an index guiding effect comprising:

• a microstructured core comprising a plurality of hollow, longitudinally extending core cells formed by core material, the core material occupying a first percentage of a cross-section of said microstructured core;
• a microstructured cladding surrounding the microstructured core, said microstructured cladding comprising a plurality of hollow, longitudinally extending cladding cells formed by cladding material, the cladding material occupying a second percentage of a cross-section of said microstructured cladding;
• wherein said first percentage is greater than said second percentage for causing said microstructured core to have a higher effective index of refraction than said microstructured cladding for allowing index-guiding of light waves through the optical fiber;
• and
• wherein no substantial number of core or cladding cells has a cross-sectional dimension greater than 0.3 μm in a substantial portion of said optical fiber.

An optical fiber comprising:

• a core comprising a first material and a second material in phases distinct from each other, said core having a first effective refractive index;
• and
• a cladding surrounding said core and comprising a third material and a fourth material in phases distinct from each other, said cladding having a second effective refractive index;
• wherein said first refractive index is greater than the second refractive index and said optical fiber transmits light by an index-guiding effect;
• and
• in which the first and third materials are continuous along the length of the optical fiber whereas the second and fourth materials comprise individual elongated portions extending along the length of the optical fiber.

An optical fiber for propagating light in a longitudinal direction according to an index guiding effect, comprising:

• a microstructured core comprising a plurality of hollow, longitudinally extending core cells formed by core material, the core material occupying a first percentage of a cross-section of said microstructured core;
• a microstructured cladding surrounding the microstructured core, said microstructured cladding comprising a plurality of hollow, longitudinally extending cladding cells formed by cladding material, the cladding material occupying a second percentage of a cross-section of said microstructured cladding;
• wherein said first percentage is greater than said second percentage for causing said microstructured core to have a higher effective index of refraction than said microstructured cladding for allowing index-guiding of light waves through the optical fiber;
• and
• wherein an average cross-sectional dimension of said core cells and cladding cells is less than 0.1 μm, and wherein said core cells and cladding cells are periodically arranged with respect to a cross-section of said optical fiber.

An optical fiber comprising:

• a core comprising a first material and a second material in phases distinct from each other, said core having a first effective refractive index;
• and
• a cladding surrounding said core and comprising a third material and a fourth material in phases distinct from each other, said cladding having a second effective refractive index;
• wherein said first refractive index is greater than the second refractive index and said optical fiber transmits light by an index-guiding effect;
• and
• in which said first material is in the form of tubular structures that have polygonal cross-sections and said second material is in said tubular structures.

An optical fiber comprising:

• a core comprising a first material and a second material in phases distinct from each other, said core having a first effective refractive index;
• and
• a cladding surrounding said core and comprising a third material and a fourth material in phases distinct from each other, said cladding having a second effective refractive index;
• wherein said first refractive index is greater than the second refractive index and said optical fiber transmits light by an index-guiding effect;
• and
• in which said first and third material form a continuous phase matrix and said second and fourth materials occupy voids in said matrix.

An optical fiber, comprising:

• a core region surrounding a center longitudinal axis of the optical fiber, said core region comprising a core material having a plurality of void regions interposed therein, said void regions being elongated and parallel to the center longitudinal axis, said void regions occupying a first percentage of the area of a cross-section of the core region;
• and
• a cladding region surrounding said core region, said cladding region comprising a cladding material with a plurality of void regions interposed therein, said void regions being elongated and parallel to the center longitudinal axis, said void regions occupying a second percentage of the area of a cross-section of the cladding region, said second percentage being greater than said first percentage;
• whereby said cladding region has a lower effective index of refraction than said core region for allowing propagation of light waves through the optical fiber by an index-guiding effect;
• and
• wherein the ratio of void area to material area is greater than 1:1 in a cross-section of at least one of said core region and cladding region.