A supercontinuum optical pulse source provides a combined supercontinuum, and can comprise one or more seed pulse sources; first and second optical amplifiers arranged along first and second respective optical paths, wherein the first and second optical amplifiers are configured to amplify one or more optical signals generated by the one or more seed pulse sources; a first microstructured light-guiding member arranged along the first optical path and configured to generate supercontinuum light responsive to an optical signal propagating along the first optical path; a second microstructured light-guiding member arranged along the second optical path and configured to generate supercontinuum light responsive to an optical signal propagating along the second optical path; a supercontinuum-combining member to combine supercontinuum generated in at least the first and second microstructured light-guiding members to form a combined supercontinuum; wherein the supercontinuum-combining member comprises an output fibre, wherein the output fibre comprises a silica-based multimode optical fibre supporting a plurality of spatial modes at one or more wavelengths of the combined supercontinuum; wherein the supercontinuum-combining member has one or more input fibres which support no more than four spatial modes at any wavelength within the combined supercontinuum; and wherein the output fibre of the supercontinuum-combining member supports no more than four spatial modes at any wavelength within the combined supercontinuum.

An optical fiber splicing structure of the invention includes: an optical fiber connector that is capable of holding an optical fiber at both sides thereof in a radial direction; a receiving optical fiber that is provided inside the optical fiber connector and has a hole opening at an end face of a connection end thereof; a solid refractive index matching layer that is formed at the end face of a connection end of the receiving optical fiber and enters the hole; and an external optical fiber that is to be butt-jointed to the receiving optical fiber by being butt-jointed to the receiving optical fiber at the end faces thereof with the refractive index matching layer interposed therebetween.

A method of drawing a material into sheet form includes forming a preform comprising at least one material as a large aspect ratio block wherein a first transverse dimension of the preform is much greater than a second transverse dimension substantially perpendicular to the first transverse dimension. A furnace having substantially linearly opposed heating elements one spaced from the other is provided and the heating elements are energized to apply heat to the preform to create a negative thermal gradient from an exterior surface along the first transverse dimension of the preform inward toward a central plane of the preform. The preform is drawn in such a manner that the material substantially maintains its first transverse dimension and deforms across its second transverse dimension.

A method of drawing a material into sheet form includes forming a preform comprising at least one material as a large aspect ratio block wherein a first transverse dimension of the preform is much greater than a second transverse dimension substantially perpendicular to the first transverse dimension. A furnace having substantially linearly opposed heating elements one spaced from the other is provided and the heating elements are energized to apply heat to the preform to create a negative thermal gradient from an exterior surface along the first transverse dimension of the preform inward toward a central plane of the preform. The preform is drawn in such a manner that the material substantially maintains its first transverse dimension and deforms across its second transverse dimension.

A supercontinuum optical pulse source provides a combined supercontinuum. The supercontinuum optical pulse source comprises one or more seed pulse sources, and first and second optical amplifiers arranged along first and second respective optical paths. The first and second optical amplifiers are configured to amplify one or more optical signals generated by said one or more seed pulse sources. The supercontinuum optical pulse source further comprises a first microstructured light-guiding member arranged along the first optical path and configured to generate supercontinuum light responsive to an optical signal propagating along said first optical path, and a second microstructured light-guiding member arranged along the second optical path and configured to generate supercontinuum light responsive to an optical signal propagating along said second optical path. The supercontinuum optical pulse source further comprises a supercontinuum-combining member to combine supercontinuum generated in at least the first and second microstructured light-guiding members to form a combined supercontinuum. The supercontinuum-combining member comprises an output fiber, wherein the output fiber comprises a silica-based multimode optical fiber supporting a plurality of spatial modes at one or more wavelengths of the combined supercontinuum.

There is provided a method to fabricate optical taps and waveguide devices in photonic crystal fibers and other fibers with hollow structures. The method involves a preparation step, where the hollow holes inside the fiber are collapsed or partially modified locally; and a waveguide fabrication step, where a femtosecond laser is focused inside the fiber and used to produce optical waveguides that interact in the region that was previously modified in the preparation step.

Method of laser modifying an optical fibre to form a modified region at a target location within the fibre, comprising positioning at least a portion of an optical fibre in a laser system for modification by a laser, applying a correction to an active optical element of the laser system to modify wavefront properties of the laser to counteract an effect of aberration on laser focus, and laser modifying the optical fibre at the target location using the laser with the corrected wavefront properties to produce the modified region.

The present invention relates to a glass fiber (1) comprising at least one fiber core (10), at least one fiber cladding (11) which at least substantially encloses the fiber core (10) in the circumferential direction (U) and along the longitudinal axis (X), and at least one fiber coating (12) which substantially encloses the fiber cladding (11) in the circumferential direction (U) and along the longitudinal axis (X), wherein the glass fiber (1) has at least one first exposed portion (13a) where the fiber cladding (11) is exposed by the fiber coating (12), for removing light (B) at least from the fiber cladding (11), wherein at least the fiber cladding (11) has a plurality of recesses (14) at least substantially in the radial direction (R), which recesses are designed to at least partially discharge the light (B) at least from the fiber cladding (11). The glass fiber (1) is characterized in that the recesses (14), as longitudinal recesses (14), are each formed at least in portions precisely along the longitudinal axis (X).

Method of laser modifying an optical fibre to form a modified region at a target location within the fibre, comprising positioning at least a portion of an optical fibre in a laser system for modification by a laser, applying a correction to an active optical element of the laser system to modify wavefront properties of the laser to counteract an effect of aberration on laser focus, and laser modifying the optical fibre at the target location using the laser with the corrected wavefront properties to produce the modified region.

A multicore fiber includes: a plurality of core portions; a cladding portion surrounding outer peripheries of the plurality of core portions and having a refractive index lower than the plurality of core portions; and a plurality of deformation correction portions arranged inside the cladding portion. The plurality of core portions are arranged in a first radial direction in a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the multicore fiber, and the plurality of deformation correction portions are arranged in a second radial direction substantially orthogonal to the first radial direction, in the cross-section.