Fiber Fuse Propagation and Its Suppression in Hole-Assisted Fibers

Abstract

We examined the characteristics of fiber fuse propagation in hole-assisted fibers (HAF). The fiber fuse propagated in the same way as in conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) when the diameter of an inscribed circle linking the air holes (c) was much larger than the diameter of the melted area (Dmelted). The melted area is caused by fiber fuse propagation and Dmelted is assumed to be almost the same size as the plasma. However, when c was much smaller than Dmelted, the fiber fuse did not propagate in HAF with input powers above 15W at 1480 and 1550nm. This result indicates that the threshold power of fiber fuse propagation in HAF can be at least 10 times larger than that in conventional SMF in the optical communication band. We also observed the dynamics of fiber fuse termination at a splice point between HAF and a conventional fiber by using a high-speed camera, when c was much smaller than Dmelted. We consider that the reduction in gas density caused by the air holes results in fiber fuse termination. When c was almost the same as Dmelted, we observed a new propagation mode and its dynamics for a fiber fuse with a damage track whose period was approximately 30 times longer than that in conventional SMF. We also made the first observation of a new threshold power (upper threshold) for a fiber fuse.