Hollow-core conjoined-tube negative-curvature fibre with ultralow loss

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 2828 - 6
• Main Authors: Gao, Shou-fei, Wang, Ying-ying, Ding, Wei, Jiang, Dong-liang, Gu, Shuai, Zhang, Xin, Wang, Pu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 19.07.2018; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/624/1075/187; 639/766/1130/2799; Bandwidths; Cladding; Core loss; Curvature; Data transmission; Electric communication systems; Fibers; Humanities and Social Sciences; Light; multidisciplinary; Nonlinear systems; Nonlinearity; Optical communication; Optical fibers; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Transmission loss; Tubes; Wave division multiplexing
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05225-1

Countering the optical network ‘capacity crunch’ calls for a radical development in optical fibres that could simultaneously minimize nonlinearity penalties, chromatic dispersion and maximize signal launch power. Hollow-core fibres (HCF) can break the nonlinear Shannon limit of solid-core fibre and fulfil all above requirements, but its optical performance need to be significantly upgraded before they can be considered for high-capacity telecommunication systems. Here, we report a new HCF with conjoined-tubes in the cladding and a negative-curvature core shape. It exhibits a minimum transmission loss of 2 dB km −1 at 1512 nm and a <16 dB km −1 bandwidth spanning across the O, E, S, C, L telecom bands (1302–1637 nm). The debut of this conjoined-tube HCF, with combined merits of ultralow loss, broad bandwidth, low bending loss, high mode quality and simple structure heralds a new opportunity to fully unleash the potential of HCF in telecommunication applications. Countering the optical network ‘capacity crunch’ requires developments in optical fibres. Here, the authors report a hollow-core fibre with conjoined tubes in the cladding and a negative-curvature core shape. It exhibits a transmission loss of 2 dB/km at 1512 nm and less than 16 dB/km bandwidth in the 1302–1637 nm range.