Corning Incorporated
LOW CROSS-TALK MULTICORE OPTICAL FIBER FOR SINGLE MODE OPERATION

Abstract:

A multicore optical fiber comprises a common cladding and a plurality of core portions disposed in the common cladding. Each of the core portions includes a central axis, a core region extending from the central axis to a radius r.sub.1, the core region comprising a relative refractive index .DELTA..sub.1, an inner cladding region extending from the radius r.sub.1 to a radius r.sub.2, the inner cladding region comprising a relative refractive index .DELTA..sub.2, and a depressed cladding extending from the radius r.sub.2 to a radius r.sub.3, the depressed cladding region comprising a relative refractive index .DELTA..sub.3 and a minimum relative refractive index .DELTA..sub.3 min. The relative refractive indexes may satisfy .DELTA..sub.1>.DELTA..sub.2>.DELTA..sub.3 min. The mode field diameter of each core portion may greater than or equal to 8.2 .mu.m and less than or equal to 9.5 .mu.m.