Ultra-large number of transmission channels in space division multiplexing using few-mode multi-core fiber with optimized air-hole-assisted double-cladding structure

The ultimate number of transmission channels in a fiber for the space division multiplexing (SDM) is shown by designing an air-hole-assisted double-cladding few-mode multi-core fiber. The propagation characteristics such as the dispersion and the mode field diameter are almost equalized for all cores owing to the double cladding structure, and the crosstalk between adjacent cores is extremely suppressed by the heterogeneous arrangement of cores and the air holes surrounding the cores. Optimizing the structure of the air-hole-assisted double-cladding, ultra dense core arrangements, e.g. 129 cores in a core accommodated area with 200 μm diameter, can be realized with low crosstalk of less than -34.3 dB at 100km transmission. In this design, each core supports 3 modes i.e. LP(01), LP(11a), and LP(11b) as the transmission channels, so that the number of transmission channels can be 3-hold greater than the number of cores. Therefore, 387 transmission channels can be realized.