A single mode optical fiber is provided that includes a core region and a cladding region, the cladding region including a depressed-index cladding region, a first outer cladding region, and a second outer cladding region. The first outer cladding region has a lower relative refractive than the second outer cladding region. The single mode optical fiber has a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 15 mm diameter mandrel of less than about 0.75 dB/turn, has a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 20 mm diameter mandrel of less than about 0.2 dB/turn, and a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 30 mm diameter mandrel of less than about 0.005 dB/turn. Additionally, the single mode optical fiber has a mode field diameter of about 9.0 microns or greater at 1310 nm wavelength and a cable cutoff of less than or equal to about 1260 nm.

An optical fiber according to an embodiment includes a core and a cladding. The average value n1_ave of the refractive index of the core, the minimum value nc_min of the refractive index of the cladding, and the refractive index n0 of pure silica glass satisfy relationships of n1_ave>nc_min and nc_min<n0. The cladding contains fluorine. The fluorine concentration in the cladding is adjusted to be minimum in the outermost portion of the cladding including the outer peripheral surface of the cladding.

A single mode optical fiber is provided that includes a core region having an outer radius r.sub.1 and a maximum relative refractive index Δ.sub.1max. The single mode optical fiber further includes a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region includes a depressed-index cladding region, a relative refractive index Δ.sub.3 of the depressed-index cladding region increasing with increased radial position. The single mode optical fiber has a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 15 mm diameter mandrel of less than about 0.75 dB/turn, a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 20 mm diameter mandrel of less than about 0.2 dB/turn, and a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 30 mm diameter mandrel of less than 0.005 dB/turn. Additionally, the single mode optical fiber has a mode field diameter of 9.0 microns or greater at 1310 nm wavelength.

A side fire optical fiber tip is provided for use in high power laser applications having outputs of greater than or equal to 50 Watts. A predetermined length of an output tip on the distal end of the optical fiber is formed with an optical fiber core and cladding layer of preselected thickness wherein the cladding to core diameter ratio is at least as great as 1.2. A side fire surface is formed on the distal end of the core/clad output end. Over this optical fiber output end, a pure silica capillary tube is fused to the predetermined length of exposed cladding where the outermost cladding is also pure silica to reduce thermal mismatch during the fusion process. By having the refractive index at the fusing interface matched, and bubbles or gaps eliminated or prevented, it is possible to substantially eliminate Fresnel reflection losses at this interface.

A composite optical fiber is provided for permitting sensing of multiple parameters. The optical fiber is for incorporation into a sensing system, the optical fiber comprising: a single mode optical fiber core, a multimode optical fiber core, and an optical fiber cladding layer surrounding the single mode optical fiber core and the multimode optical fiber core. The optical fiber provided preferably enables multiple sensing and/or measurements to take place at a single location and at a single time.

A single mode optical fiber is provided that includes a core region having an outer radius ri and a maximum relative refractive index Δ.sub.1max. The single mode optical fiber further includes a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region includes a depressed-index cladding region, a relative refractive index Δ.sub.3 of the depressed-index cladding region increasing with increased radial position. The single mode optical fiber has a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 15 mm diameter mandrel of less than about 0.75 dB/turn, a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 20 mm diameter mandrel of less than about 0.2 dB/turn, and a bend loss at 1550 nm for a 30 mm diameter mandrel of less than 0.005 dB/turn. Additionally, the single mode optical fiber has a mode field diameter of 9.0 microns or greater at 1310 nm wavelength.

An optical fiber includes a core, an inner cladding surrounding the core, and an outer cladding surrounding the inner cladding. A mean relative refractive index difference Δ1 of the core, a mean relative refractive index difference Δ2 of the inner cladding, and a mean relative refractive index difference Δ3 of the outer cladding satisfy a relationship of Δ1>Δ3≥Δ2. A ratio r2/r1 of an inner cladding radius r2 to a core radius r1 is 4.5 or higher and 5.5 or lower. A minimum value Δmin of a relative refractive index difference is −0.030% or higher and −0.010% or lower. A radius rmin at which the relative refractive index difference is the minimum value Δmin satisfies a relationship of r1<rmin<r2. (Δmin−Δ(r1))/(rmin−r1) is −0.002%/μm or lower, where Δ(r1) denotes the relative refractive index difference with the core radius r1.

A composite optical fiber is provided for permitting sensing of multiple parameters. The optical fiber is for incorporation into a sensing system, the optical fiber comprising: a single mode optical fiber core, a multimode optical fiber core, and an optical fiber cladding layer surrounding the single mode optical fiber core and the multimode optical fiber core. The optical fiber provided preferably enables multiple sensing and/or measurements to take place at a single location and at a single time.

A multicore optical fiber comprising: a depressed index common-cladding region having a refractive index Δ.sub.cc; and a plurality of core portions disposed within the depressed index common-cladding region, wherein each core portion comprises: a central axis, a core region comprising a relative refractive index Δ.sub.1, an inner-cladding region encircling and directly contacting the core region comprising a relative refractive index Δ.sub.2, a trench region encircling and directly contacting the inner cladding region comprising a relative refractive index Δ.sub.3, and an outer-cladding region encircling and directly contacting the trench region comprising a relative refractive index Δ.sub.4, wherein the refractive index of the depressed index common-cladding region Δ.sub.cc is less than the refractive index of the outer-cladding region Δ.sub.4, and wherein a difference between the refractive index of the depressed index common-cladding region Δ.sub.cc and the refractive index of the first outer-cladding region Δ.sub.4 is greater than 0.05% Δ.

In various embodiments, optical fibers have arrangements of core, annular core, and cladding regions enabling variation of beam shape and/or beam parameter product and may be utilized for the processing (e.g., welding, cutting, drilling, etc.) of various workpieces.