In some implementations, a waveguide may comprise an inner core to receive a first beam and an outer core surrounding the inner core to receive a second beam that is displaced from the first beam by an offset. The outer core may comprise a beam guiding region that rotationally expands over a length of the waveguide into an annulus that concentrically surrounds the inner core or a partial annulus that partially surrounds the inner core. For example, the beam guiding region may be defined by one or more low refractive index features that have a varied orientation and/or a varied shape over the length of the waveguide such that the second beam enters the waveguide as an offset beam and exits from the waveguide as a ring-shaped beam or a partial ring-shaped beam.

A dispersion shifted optical fiber where a radius r.sub.0 of a first center segment is 0.5 μm to 2.8 μm, and a relative refractive index difference Δ.sub.0 is 0.4% or more and 0.9% or less. A radius r.sub.1 of a first segment is 1.8 μm or more and 4.5 μm or less. A radius r.sub.2 of a second segment is 4.0 μm or more and 8.0 μm or less, and a relative refractive index difference Δ.sub.2 is 0.00% or more and 0.07% or less. A radius r.sub.3 of a third segment is 4.5 μm or more and 8.5 μm or less, and a relative refractive index difference Δ.sub.3 is 0.285% or more and 0.5% or less. A radius r.sub.4 of a fourth segment is 8.0 μm or more and 16.0 μm or less, and a relative refractive index difference Δ.sub.4 is 0.005% or more and 0.04% or less.

In various embodiments, the beam parameter product and/or numerical aperture of a laser beam is adjusted utilizing a step-clad optical fiber having a central core, a first cladding, an annular core, and a second cladding.

Optical systems that employ concentric multi core fibers (MCFs) are discussed. Some of the systems discussed are based on the use of a concentric MCF that has a single mode core, capable of carrying a broadband data signal, and a multimode core, which carries optical signals that do not require as high a bandwidth as the broadband data signal. In one embodiment, the multimode core carries system management data. In another embodiment, the multimode core carries a high power optical signal that provides remote power. In another embodiment, the multimode core carries a pump signal for a downstream fiber amplifier. In yet another embodiment, the multimode core carries an optical signal, for example visible light, that can be used to verify connectivity.

An optical fiber includes: a center core; an inner ring layer, located outside of the center core in a radial direction, that has a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the center core; an outer core, located outside of the inner ring layer in the radial direction, that has a refractive index higher than the refractive index of the inner ring layer; and an outer ring layer, located outside of the outer core in the radial direction, that has a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the outer core. A relative refractive index difference Δ.sub.CF between the center core and the inner ring layer varies along a longitudinal direction such that the relative refractive index difference Δ.sub.CF at a location along the longitudinal direction is smaller than a relative refractive index difference Δ.sub.PF between the outer core and the outer ring layer.

In various embodiments, the beam parameter product and/or numerical aperture of a laser beam is adjusted utilizing a step-clad optical fiber having a central core, a first cladding, an annular core, and a second cladding.

An optical fiber according to an embodiment includes a core, a cladding, and a coating layer. At the boundary between the core and the cladding, the local sound velocity decreases in the direction from the core side toward the cladding side. At least in the cladding, the local sound velocity changes continuously in a radial direction. Further, the line width of the Brillouin gain of the light beam guided by the fundamental mode is 60 MHz or more.

In various embodiments, the beam parameter product and/or numerical aperture of a laser beam is adjusted utilizing a step-clad optical fiber having a central core, a first cladding, an annular core, and a second cladding.

A low-dispersion single-mode fiber includes a core and claddings covering the core. The core layer has a radius in a range of 3-5 μm and a relative refractive index difference in a range of 0.15% to 0.45%. The claddings comprise a first depressed cladding, a raised cladding, a second depressed cladding, and an outer cladding arranged sequentially from inside to outside. The first depressed cladding has a unilateral width in a range of 2-7 μm and a relative refractive index difference in a range of −0.4% to 0.03%. The raised cladding has a unilateral width in a range of 2-7 μm and a relative refractive index difference in a range of 0.05% to 0.20%. The second depressed cladding has a unilateral width in a range of 0-8 μm and a relative refractive index difference in a range of 0% to −0.2%. The outer cladding is formed of pure silicon dioxide glass.

An optical fiber including a multimode core having a radius, R.sub.1, and a maximum relative refractive index, Δ.sub.1MAX, at a wavelength λ.sub.0, an inner clad layer surrounding the core and having a radial thickness, T.sub.2, and a minimum relative refractive index, Δ.sub.2MIN, of about 0.0% at a wavelength of λ.sub.0, an intermediate clad layer surrounding the inner clad layer and having a radial thickness, T.sub.3, and a maximum relative refractive index Δ.sub.3MAX and an outer clad layer surrounding the inner clad layer and having a radial thickness, T.sub.4, and a maximum relative refractive index, Δ.sub.4MIN, at a wavelength of λ.sub.0. The optical fiber satisfies the following relationship: Δ.sub.1MAX>Δ.sub.3MAX>Δ.sub.2MIN, and the optical fiber exhibits an overfilled bandwidth of greater than or equal to about 1.5 GHz-km at λ.sub.0.