Numerical analysis of microstructured optical fibers based on flint glass for ultra-high nonlinearity, low loss, and broadband dispersion compensation across telecom bands

Abstract

This research investigates the potential of flint glass as a foundational material for photonic crystal configurations designed to achieve high nonlinear coefficients across various communication wavelengths. We explore dispersion management within telecom bands using flint glass-based micro-structured optical fibers, employing numerical analysis via the finite element method to assess optical properties. In this study, three different basic MOF structures (hexagonal, square, and octagonal) were created using flint glass background material rather of the commonly utilized fused silica material, and the numerically was assessed in contrast to prior studies and designs. Among the configurations studied, the octagonal arrangement (FGO-MOF) excels in dispersion compensation, achieving −136.6 ps/(nm.km) at 1.55 µm. Conversely, the hexagonal air hole ring cladding design (FGH-MOF) displays higher nonlinearity (770.5 W−1.km−1), a smaller effective area (1.115 µm2), and a high numerical aperture (0.6378). In contrast, the square air hole ring cladding optical fiber (FGS-MOF) exhibits low confinement loss (6.309 × 10−7 dB/cm) at 1.55 µm but with comparatively less favorable optical properties. Our study demonstrates that the hexagonal microstructured optical fiber with flint glass (FGH-MOF) offers superior performance in dispersion compensation, nonlinearity, and low loss within telecom bands. This finding suggests promising applications in high-bit-rate communication systems, biomedical sensing, and supercontinuum generation, presenting exciting avenues for further research and practical implementation.