Design and characteristics study of bend-resistant and low-crosstalk few-mode multi-core fiber

Abstract

This study introduces a novel 9-core, 4-mode fiber characterized by its bend resistance and minimal crosstalk. Utilizing a hetero-core scheme, the cores are effectively isolated through trenches and air holes, significantly reducing inter-core crosstalk. The cores are strategically arranged in a square array to facilitate easier splicing. Through comprehensive simulation calculations, it is demonstrated that four LP modes can be consistently transmitted within the C+L band. The effective refractive index difference between adjacent modes exceeds 10−3, ensuring negligible intra-core crosstalk. Concurrently, the inter-core crosstalk of the LP02 mode is maintained below − 40 dB/100 km. The fiber's bending radius can be minimized to 60 mm without compromising performance, with the corresponding bending loss for the LP02 mode in the two outer cores measured at 1.6 × 10−5 dB/m and 3.95 × 10−6 dB/m, respectively. Each of the nine cores exhibits an effective mode area exceeding 95 µm2, and the fiber's relative core multiplexing factor at 1550 nm is 27.62. The proposed fiber's superior performance positions it as a promising solution for practical applications in optical fiber communication networks, potentially addressing the burgeoning capacity crisis in communication systems.