Open AccessLight acceptance properties of multimode microstructured optical fibers: Impact of multiple layers
Author(s) -
Nader A. Issa,
Whayne Padden
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.12.003224
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , numerical aperture , multi mode optical fiber , optical fiber , microstructured optical fiber , wavelength , photonic crystal fiber , waveguide , physics , plastic optical fiber
We present a study of the large numerical aperture and high capture efficiency in a class of microstructured optical fibers, also called ???air-clad??? fibers. We employ a recently developed method where the leaky modes supported by a waveguide are used to determine the far-field angular intensity distributions. These distributions are subsequently used to calculate the capture efficiency and numerical aperture. Their dependence on length, wavelength, bridge thickness and number of layers is presented. Based on the physical insights provided by the analysis, two simplified heuristic models are presented which are valid for either single layer or multiple layer fibers. They show good agreement with the full numerical calculations.