Abstract: A multi-core optical fiber (100) comprises a plurality of optical cores (1, . . . , 8) to respectively transmit light and a plurality of cleaves (110a, 100b, 110c, 110d, 110e, 110f, 110g, 110h) extending from a surface (102) of the multi-core optical fiber (100) into the multi-core optical fiber. A first cleave (110a) comprises a surface (111a) to couple light out of the optical fiber, wherein a first optical core (1) ends at the surface (111a) of the first cleave (110a). An at least one second cleave (110b, . . . , 110h) comprises a surface (111b, . . . , 111h) to couple light out of the optical fiber, wherein at least one second optical core (2, . . . , 8) ends at the surface (111b, . . . , 111h) of the at least one second cleave (110b, . . . , 110h). The first and the at least one second cleave (110a, . . . , 110h) are staggered along the longitudinal axis (101) of the multi-core optical fiber (100).