Single-mode microstructured polymer optical fibre

Abstract

A single-mode microstructured polymer optical fibre (MPOF) was fabricated and the guiding properties were demonstrated. Using the multipole expansion technique we found that all of the modes other than the fundamental mode experiences very large confinement losses, which is the basis of single mode propagation in microstructured fibres. The advantages of MPOF over both conventional polymer optical fibres and glass microstructured fibre were discussed. The versatility and low-cost of the manufacturing methods and the chemical flexibility of the polymers provide great potential for applications in data communication networks and for the development of a range of new polymer-based fibre-optic components. The field of microstructured polymer fibres therefore promises to be a rich field of research for some time to come.