A rare earth-doped double-clad optical fiber includes a rare earth ion-doped fiber core, an inner cladding layer, and an outer cladding layer. A cross section of the inner cladding layer is a non-circular plane including at least two arcuate notches. According to the provided optical fiber, optical processing can be performed on a preform without changing a preform preparation process and a drawing process. The inner cladding is designed to have a non-circular planar structure having a cross section with at least two arcuate notches. While maintaining the same light absorption efficiency of pump light within the cladding layer, a preform polishing process is simplified, a risk of cracking the preform during polishing of multiple surfaces and a risk of contamination of the preform caused by impurities are reduced, wire drawing control precision is better, and comprehensive performance of the optical fiber is improved.

A method for preparing a glass composite wavelength converter comprising the steps of providing at least one phosphor material, providing a powder of glass components, mixing the phosphor material and the powder of glass components, thereby preparing a first mixture, adding at least one oxidizing agent to the first mixture, mixing the oxidizing agent with the first mixture, thereby preparing a second mixture, applying pressure and current to the second mixture, thereby preparing a glass composite wavelength converter is described. Furthermore, a glass component wavelength converter and a light source are described.

In a multicore optical fiber sensor, an absorptive material integrated into the cladding, or into a waveguide core not used for sensing, may facilitate sensing. The absorptive material is absorptive to light in a wavelength band in which the fiber sensor is configured to operate. Coating such a fiber sensor with a material whose refractive index is smaller than that of the cladding may be done with reduced signal mixing.

A microheater comprises an optical fiber including a rare earth-doped glass core surrounded by a glass cladding. The rare earth-doped glass core comprises a rare earth dopant at a concentration sufficient for luminescence quenching such that, when the rare earth dopant is pumped with light at an absorption band wavelength, at least about 90% of absorbed pump light is converted into heat.

A supercontinuum source, comprises a pump source and a supercontinuum generator configured for receiving electromagnetic radiation derived from the pump source and for generating supercontinuum radiation, the supercontinuum generator comprising a nonlinear microstructured optical fibre having a core region comprising silica. The core region includes a dopant selected to reduce light-induced non-bridging oxygen hole centre loss in the nonlinear microstructured optical fibre.

Laser waveguides, methods and systems for forming a laser waveguide are provided. The waveguide includes an inner cladding layer surrounding a central axis and a glass core surrounding and located outside of the inner cladding layer. The glass core includes a laser-active material. The waveguide includes an outer cladding layer surrounding and located outside of the glass core. The inner cladding, outer cladding and/or core may surround a hollow central channel or bore and may be annular in shape.

Laser waveguides, methods and systems for forming a laser waveguide are provided. The waveguide includes an inner cladding layer surrounding a central axis and a glass core surrounding and located outside of the inner cladding layer. The glass core includes a laser-active material. The waveguide includes an outer cladding layer surrounding and located outside of the glass core. The inner cladding, outer cladding and/or core may surround a hollow central channel or bore and may be annular in shape.

A method of capturing soot includes the steps: combusting a first precursor in a burner to produce a soot stream, the soot stream comprising soot and exiting the burner at an outlet; and directing a capture medium to the soot stream, the capture medium contacting the soot in an impact region, the soot having a temperature greater than 50 C. in the impact region.

A rare earth-doped double-clad optical fiber includes a rare earth ion-doped fiber core, an inner cladding layer, and an outer cladding layer. A cross section of the inner cladding layer is a non-circular plane including at least two arcuate notches. According to the provided optical fiber, optical processing can be performed on a preform without changing a preform preparation process and a drawing process. The inner cladding is designed to have a non-circular planar structure having a cross section with at least two arcuate notches. While maintaining the same light absorption efficiency of pump light within the cladding layer, a preform polishing process is simplified, a risk of cracking the preform during polishing of multiple surfaces and a risk of contamination of the preform caused by impurities are reduced, wire drawing control precision is better, and comprehensive performance of the optical fiber is improved.

A converter plate includes an array of optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other. The optical fibers have optical properties selected to convert light from a light-emitting diode entering the optical fibers from one end of the array of optical fibers to light of a different wavelength exiting the fibers from another end of the array of optical fibers. The optical properties of some of the optical fibers differ from the optical properties of others of the optical fibers such that the light exiting the some of the optical fibers has a wavelength different from that of the light exiting the others of the optical fibers. The converter plate is manufactured by providing the optical fibers and combining the optical fibers into a bundle, the optical fibers being arranged axially parallel to each other. The bundle of optical fibers is drawn to attenuate the bundle of fibers into a secondary fiber having a reduced cross section. The secondary fiber is wafered into a converter plate that includes an array of the optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other.