Abstract: An optical waveguide adapter assembly comprises a solid core optical waveguide extending between a free end and a coupled end and having a solid waveguiding core with an associated first optical mode field size; a hollow core optical waveguide extending between a free end and a coupled end and having a hollow waveguiding core with an associated second optical mode field size; and an optical mode field adapter extending between a first end and a second end and having a waveguiding core configured to change an optical mode field of a waveguided optical signal substantially between the first optical mode field size at the first end of the optical mode field adapter and the second optical mode field size at the second end of the optical mode field adapter.

Abstract: A method for dividing an optical fibre comprises providing a hollow core optical fibre having a length, a cladding which comprises a microstructure, a hollow core surrounded by the cladding, and a negative pressure portion in which the pressure is below atmospheric pressure that extends over at least a portion of the length; and cleaving the hollow core optical fibre at a divide location within the negative pressure portion to divide the hollow core optical fibre into two parts and provide an end facet at the divide location on one or both of the parts.

Abstract: A method for dividing an optical fibre comprises providing a hollow core optical fibre having a length, a cladding which comprises a microstructure, a hollow core surrounded by the cladding, and a negative pressure portion in which the pressure is below atmospheric pressure that extends over at least a portion of the length; and cleaving the hollow core optical fibre at a divide location within the negative pressure portion to divide the hollow core optical fibre into two parts and provide an end facet at the divide location on one or both of the parts.

Abstract: An optical waveguide adapter assembly comprises a solid core optical waveguide extending between a free end and a coupled end and having a solid waveguiding core with an associated first optical mode field size; a hollow core optical waveguide extending between a free end and a coupled end and having a hollow waveguiding core with an associated second optical mode field size; and an optical mode field adapter extending between a first end and a second end and having a waveguiding core configured to change an optical mode field of a waveguided optical signal substantially between the first optical mode field size at the first end of the optical mode field adapter and the second optical mode field size at the second end of the optical mode field adapter, the first end of the optical mode field adapter joined to the coupled end of the solid core optical waveguide to provide optical coupling between the waveguiding core of the solid core optical waveguide and the waveguiding core of the optical mode field adapter

Abstract: A method of forming a splice to join two optical fibres comprises: providing two optical fibres, at least one of which is a hollow core optical fibre; aligning an end of one of the optical fibres with an end of the other optical fibre such that longitudinal axes of the two optical fibres are substantially along a same line and the ends of the optical fibres are spaced apart; performing a prefusion stage (S1) comprising: applying an electric arc proximate the ends of the optical fibres in order to soften the material of the ends; moving the ends of the optical fibres together to make contact and then exceed the contact by an overlap distance to form a fused portion in which the ends are fused together; and performing at least one pushing stage (S2), each pushing stage comprising: implementing a cooling period during which no electrical arc is applied; at the end of the cooling period, applying an electrical arc to the fused portion to soften the material of the fused ends; and pushing the fused ends of the opt

Abstract: An optical waveguide adapter assembly comprises a solid core optical waveguide extending between a free end and a coupled end and having a solid waveguiding core with an associated first optical mode field size; a hollow core optical waveguide extending between a free end and a coupled end and having a hollow waveguiding core with an associated second optical mode field size; and an optical mode field adapter extending between a first end and a second end and having a waveguiding core configured to change an optical mode field of a waveguided optical signal substantially between the first optical mode field size at the first end of the optical mode field adapter and the second optical mode field size at the second end of the optical mode field adapter, the first end of the optical mode field adapter joined to the coupled end of the solid core optical waveguide to provide optical coupling between the waveguiding core of the solid core optical waveguide and the waveguiding core of the optical mode field adapter