Abstract: An optical coupling is useful for lessening negative effects associated with launching high power signals from a single mode optical fiber. The coupling has a mono-mode optical fiber fused axially to a second optically homogeneous glass fiber having no core and no optical power, the latter fiber dimensioned such that light propagating from the optical fiber's core diverges and passes rectilinearly therethrough without touching the side walls of the second fiber. The second fiber is optically coupled with a GRIN lens. Typically, the mono-mode fiber and the second fiber have the same diameter and are mounted in a ferrule.