Abstract: Multicore optical fibers that include between two and ten multimode cores surrounded by a cladding matrix and symmetrically arranged about a fiber axis are disclosed, with no core running along the fiber axis. The cores include a trench to stabilize delays of the higher order modes, which tend to propagate faster than do the central modes due to the amount of power at the core-clad interface. The trench also suppresses crosstalk and power leakage. The core configuration promotes efficient optical alignment and optical coupling with other multicore optical fibers or light sources, such as VSCEL and silicon-photonics light sources.