Low loss and broadband low back-reflection interconnection between a hollow-core and standard single-mode fiber

We report simultaneous low coupling loss (below 0.2 dB at 1550 nm) and low back-reflection (below −60 dB in the 1200-1600 nm range) between a hollow core fiber and standard single mode optical fiber obtained through the combination of an angled interface and an anti-reflective coating. We perform experimental optimization of the interface angle to achieve the best combination of performance in terms of the coupling loss and back-reflection suppression. Furthermore, we examine parasitic cross-coupling to the higher-order modes and show that it does not degrade compared to the case of a flat interface, keeping it below −30 dB and below −20 dB for LP 11 and LP 02 modes, respectively.