Corning Incorporated
OPTICAL FIBER WITH LOW MACROBEND LOSS AT LARGE BEND DIAMETER

Abstract:

The present disclosure provides optical fibers that exhibit low macrobend loss at 1550 nm at bend diameters greater than 40 mm. The relative refractive index profile of the fibers includes a trench cladding region having a trench volume configured to minimize macrobend loss at large bend diameters. The thickness and/or depth of the trench cladding region are controlled to reduce trench volume to a degree consistent with reducing macrobend loss at bend diameters greater than 40 mm. The optical fiber includes an outer cladding region that surrounds and is directly adjacent to the trench cladding region and an optional offset cladding region between the trench cladding region and the core region. In some embodiments, the core region is a segmented core region that includes inner and outer core regions. The low macrobend loss available from the optical fibers makes them particularly suitable for applications in submarine telecommunications systems.