Abstract: An optical fiber cable having reduced surface friction may include a low-friction, fire retardant cable jacket structure. The cable jacket structure may include a thicker, highly fire-retardant cable jacket, and a thinner, low-friction skin layer formed over the cable jacket.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable may include a cable jacket, a central tube within the cable jacket, optical fibers within the central tube, and a number of semi-rigid rods around the central tube. Each rod may have a cross-sectional shape with an aspect ratio of at least 2:1. The rods may be helically applied around the central tube.

Abstract: In accordance with a plurality of embodiments of the present invention, exemplary systems and articles of manufactures are described herein that are configured to propagate a MM signal from a light source, such as an optical fiber assembly for propagating a multimode (MM) signal from a light source, the optical fiber assembly comprising a multicore fiber (MCF) having a fiber numerical aperture (NA) value, a first core diameter and a first outer diameter (OD), and a combiner including a taper fiber bundle (TFB) portion in communication with the MCF, and at least one pigtail portion in communication with the light source, wherein the combiner propagates the MM signal from the light source, the MM signal having a signal NA value that is less than the fiber NA value such that the MM signal underfills the at least one pigtail portion.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for reducing coupling loss between optical fibers, more particularly, to reducing coupling loss between a hollow-core optical fiber (HCF) and another fiber, such as solid core fibers (SCF), through the use of mismatched mode field diameter (MFD). According to one embodiment, an article is configured to reduce a coupling loss between multiple optical fibers, wherein the article includes an HCF supporting the propagation of a first mode and an SCF coupled to the HCF. According to a further embodiment, a method is described for reducing the coupling loss or splicing loss between optical fibers, such as an exemplary HCF and a solid core SMF. These exemplary methods may include coupling/splicing an exemplary HCF to an exemplary SMF with significantly smaller MFD.

Abstract: A system (e.g., an optical amplifier) comprising gain fibers (e.g., Bismuth-doped optical fiber) for amplifying optical signals. The optical signals have an operating center wavelength (?0) that is centered between approximately 1260 nanometers (˜1260 nm) and ˜1360 nm (which is in the O-Band). The gain fibers are optically coupled to pump sources, with the number of pump sources being less than or equal to the number of gain fibers. The pump sources are (optionally) shared among the gain fibers, thereby providing more efficient use of resources.

Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier is formed to include a grating structure inscribed within the rare earth-doped gain fiber itself, providing distributed wavelength-dependent filtering (attenuation) and minimizing the need for any type of gain-flattening filter to be used at the output of the amplifier. The grating structure may be of any suitable arrangement that provides the desired loss spectrum, for example, similar to the profile of a prior art discrete GFF. Various types of grating structures that may be used to provide distributed wavelength-dependent filtering along the gain include, but are not limited to, tilted gratings, weak Bragg gratings, long-period grating (LPG), and any suitable combination of these grating structures.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for measuring temperature via distributed temperature sensing comprising transmitting light through a fiber optic cable; detecting backscattered light in the fiber optic cable, wherein the backscattered light comprises an anti-Stokes band and a Stokes band; calculating a ratio between an intensity of the anti-Stokes band and an intensity of the Stokes band; and using the calculated ratio to determine a temperature being sensed in the fiber optic cable; wherein the fiber optic cable comprises, from the center to the periphery; a central core having a refractive index that decreases progressively from a center of the central core to an edge of the core, wherein the refractive index follows an alpha profile; wherein a bandwidth-length product of the multimode optical fiber has a value greater than 2000 MHz-km at 1550 nm.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for measuring temperature via distributed temperature sensing comprising transmitting light through a fiber optic cable; detecting backscattered light in the fiber optic cable, wherein the backscattered light comprises an anti-Stokes band and a Stokes band; calculating a ratio between an intensity of the anti-Stokes band and an intensity of the Stokes band; and using the calculated ratio to determine a temperature being sensed in the fiber optic cable; wherein the fiber optic cable comprises, from the center to the periphery; a central core having a refractive index that decreases progressively from a center of the central core to an edge of the core, wherein the refractive index follows an alpha profile; wherein a bandwidth-length product of the multimode optical fiber has a value greater than 2000 MHz-km at 1550 nm.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an all-fiber, easy to use, wavelength tunable, ultrafast laser based on soliton self-frequency-shifting in an Er-doped polarization-maintaining very large mode area (PM VLMA) fiber. The ultrafast laser system may include an all polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber mode-locked seed laser with a pre-amplifier; a Raman laser including a cascaded Raman resonator and an ytterbium (Yb) fiber laser cavity; an amplifier core-pumped by the Raman laser, the amplifier including an erbium (Er) doped polarization maintaining very large mode area (PM Er VLMA) optical fiber and a passive PM VLMA fiber following the PM Er VLMA, the passive PM VLMA for supporting a spectral shift to a longer wavelength.

Abstract: A fiber-based optical amplifying system for use with a multi-wavelength input optical signal operating over a predetermined bandwidth is specifically configured to eliminate the need for a separate gain-flattening filter, improving the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the system. Both a distributed Raman amplifier (DRA) and an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) are used, where the DRA component is configured to use a pump beam with at a power level no greater than 200 mW. The EDFA is configured to exhibit a gain profile the complements that of the DRA, while also providing amplification that is no less than 10dB at any wavelength within the system bandwidth. With these parameters, the combination of the DRA and EDFA is able to maintain an output gain deviation of less than about 2 dB.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising injecting light of a first wavelength ?1 into a wavelength division multiplexer; injecting light of a second wavelength ?2 into the wavelength division multiplexer; combining the light of the first wavelength ?1 and the light of the second wavelength ?2 in the wavelength division multiplexer to produce light of a third wavelength ?3; and reflecting the light of the third wavelength ?3 in a dual-Brillouin peak optical fiber that is in communication with the wavelength divisional multiplexer; wherein the dual-Brillouin peak optical fiber has at least two Brillouin peaks, such that an amplitude A1 of at least one of said Brillouin peaks is within 50% to 150% of an amplitude A2 of another Brillouin peak 0.5A2?A1?1.5A2; wherein the dual-Brillouin peak optical fiber generates a Brillouin dynamic grating that reflects an improved back-reflected Brillouin signal of the combined light.

Abstract: A system for installing an optical fiber cable in a building hallway or living unit includes an elongated cylinder for containing an adhesive, and a continuous length of an optical fiber cable embedded in the adhesive in a configuration that avoids kinks or knots in the cable. An elongated nozzle is fixed at a first end of the cylinder for depositing the adhesive and the cable from an open tip of the nozzle, along a desired routing path in the hallway or living unit. An applicator assembly is constructed and arranged for receiving the cylinder, and for applying a dispensing force at a second end of the cylinder opposite the first end so as to urge the adhesive and the cable out of the open tip of the nozzle.

Abstract: Before pulling a leading end of a fiber optic cable through a duct in order to splice the cable fibers to other fibers located at a far end of the duct, the outer jacket of the cable and elements surrounding the cable fibers are removed to expose the fibers. The exposed fibers are prepared by (a) removing coatings on the fibers, (b) cleaving the ends of the fibers, and (c) placing the cleaved fibers into one or more protective covers. A cable grip or sock is dimensioned and formed to envelop the leading end of the cable including the protective covers, up to and including the outer jacket. The grip together with the cable are pulled through the duct, and the grip and the protective covers are removed at the far end of the duct to expose the cleaved fibers for splicing to the other fibers at the far end.

Abstract: A fiber-optic cable having optical fibers that are arranged as a rollable ribbon. Water-swellable material (e.g., superabsorbent liquid, superabsorbent powder, superabsorbent adhesive, etc.) is applied directly to the rollable ribbon, thereby eliminating the need to incorporate conventional water-absorbing yarns, tapes, or other such similar materials. The rollable ribbon is surrounded by a tube, with a dielectric strength member positioned external to the tube and substantially parallel to the tube. A jacket, with a ripcord along a substantial length of the jacket, surrounds the tube. Also taught is a process for manufacturing a rollable-ribbon fiber-optic cable, in which a water-swellable material is applied directly to the rollable ribbon, thereby eliminating the need to incorporate conventional water-absorbing yarns, tapes, or other such similar materials.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprising a core, a cladding disposed about the core, and a primary coating disposed about the cladding. The primary coating is cured during draw to at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the primary coating's fully cured primary-coating in situ modulus (P-ISM) value.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a hollow core optical fiber with a controllable core region (in terms of diameter) is based upon regulating conditions (gas flow, volume, and/or temperature) within the hollow core region during the fiber draw process. The introduction of a gas, or any change in volume or temperature of the hollow core region, allows for the diameter of the hollow core region to self-regulate as a multistructured core rod (MCR) is drawn down into the final hollow core optical fiber structure. This self-regulation provides a core region having a diameter that selected and then stabilized for the duration of the draw process. The inventive apparatus is also useful in controlling the diameter of any selected hollow region of an MCR including, but not limited to, shunts and corner capillaries disposed around the core region.

Abstract: A photoinduced refractive index-changing material is coupled directly to both a first port and a second port. An optical interconnect structure (for optically coupling the first port to the second port) is formable in the photoinduced refractive index-changing material by selectively exposing a portion of the photoinduced refractive index-changing material. The selective exposure induces a refractive index change in the photoinduced refractive index-changing material. The change in refractive index provides the waveguiding properties of the optical interconnect structure.

Abstract: Bismuth (Bi) doped optical fibers (BiDF) and Bi-doped fiber amplifiers (BiDFA) are shown and described. The BiDF comprises a gain band and an auxiliary band. The gain band has a first center wavelength (?1) and a first six decibel (6 dB) gain bandwidth. The auxiliary band has a second center wavelength (?2), with ?2>?1. The system further comprises a signal source and a pump source that are optically coupled to the BiDF. The signal source provides an optical signal at ?1, while the pump source provides pump light at a pump wavelength (?3).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a coating composition comprising a silsesquioxane component having one or more reactive functional groups that render it curable using ultraviolet radiation; where the one or more reactive functional groups are selected from the group consisting of an acrylate, a vinyl ether, or an epoxy; and optionally, a co-reactive non-silsesquioxane monomer and/or an oligomer having one or more reactive functional groups that are curable using ultraviolet radiation and are selected from the group consisting of free radically curable acrylates, cationically curable epoxies, and cationically curable vinyl ethers; where the coating composition is disposed and cured on an optical article; where the optical article is at least one of an optical fiber or an optical planar waveguide; and where the average functionality of the composition is greater than one.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprising a core, a cladding disposed about the core, and a primary coating disposed about the cladding. The primary coating is cured during draw to at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the primary coating's fully cured primary-coating in situ modulus (P-ISM) value.