Few moded optical fiber and system incorporating such

A few moded optical fiber comprising:

• a glass graded index core having alpha profile such that 2.0≦α≦2.15, a diameter D1, such that 12.5 microns ≦D1<40 microns, a maximum relative refractive index between 0.265 and 0.65 percent, the glass core diameter D1 and refractive index are selected such that the core is capable of supporting the propagation and transmission of an optical signal with X number of mode groups at a wavelength of 850 nm, wherein X is an integer greater than 1 and less than 8;
• and
• a cladding comprising a depressed-index annular region surrounding the core, said depressed-index annular region having a relative refractive index delta of less than −0.1% and a width of at least 1 micron,
• wherein the fiber has an overfilled bandwidth greater than 2.5 GHz-km at 850 nm and relative microbending sensitivity γ such that γ≦1.5.