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.

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 Δ1.sub.max. 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 0.002 dB/turn. Additionally, the single mode optical fiber has a mode field diameter of 9.0 microns or greater at 1310 nm wavelength and a cable cutoff of less than or equal to about 1260 nm.

A rollable optical fiber ribbon utilizing low attenuation, bend insensitive fibers and cables incorporating such rollable ribbons are provided. The optical fibers are supported by a ribbon body, and the ribbon body is formed from a flexible material such that the optical fibers are reversibly movable from an unrolled position to a rolled position. The optical fibers have a large mode filed diameter, such as ≥9 microns at 1310 nm facilitating low attenuation splicing/connectorization. The optical fibers are also highly bend insensitive, such as having a macrobend loss of ≤0.5 dB/turn at 1550 nm for a mandrel diameter of 15 mm.

A rollable optical fiber ribbon utilizing low attenuation, bend insensitive fibers and cables incorporating such rollable ribbons are provided. The optical fibers are supported by a ribbon body, and the ribbon body is formed from a flexible material such that the optical fibers are reversibly movable from an unrolled position to a rolled position. The optical fibers have a large mode filed diameter, such as ≥9 microns at 1310 nm facilitating low attenuation splicing/connectorization. The optical fibers are also highly bend insensitive, such as having a macrobend loss of ≤0.5 dB/turn at 1550 nm for a mandrel diameter of 15 mm.

Disclosed herein are optical waveguide fibers comprising: (I) a core comprising an outer radius r.sub.1, a maximum refractive index delta percent Δ.sub.1 max and core alpha, α, of larger than 5; and (II) a cladding surrounding the core, the cladding comprising: (i) an inner cladding region having outer radius r.sub.2 and refractive index delta percent Δ.sub.2, wherein Δ.sub.1max>Δ.sub.2; (ii) a trench region surrounding the inner cladding region, the trench region having an outer radius, r.sub.3 where r.sub.3≧10 microns and refractive index delta percent Δ.sub.3; and (iii) an outer cladding region having chlorine concentration of ≧1.2 wt. % surrounding the trench region and comprising refractive index delta percent Δ.sub.4, wherein Δ.sub.1max>Δ.sub.4 and Δ.sub.2>Δ.sub.3, and Δ.sub.4>Δ.sub.3 and wherein the difference between Δ.sub.4 and Δ.sub.3 is ≧0.12 percent.

A rollable optical fiber ribbon utilizing low attenuation, bend insensitive fibers and cables incorporating such rollable ribbons are provided. The optical fibers are supported by a ribbon body, and the ribbon body is formed from a flexible material such that the optical fibers are reversibly movable from an unrolled position to a rolled position. The optical fibers have a large mode filed diameter, such as ≥9 microns at 1310 nm facilitating low attenuation splicing/connectorization. The optical fibers are also highly bend insensitive, such as having a macrobend loss of ≤0.5 dB/turn at 1550 nm for a mandrel diameter of 15 mm.

A rollable optical fiber ribbon utilizing low attenuation, bend insensitive fibers and cables incorporating such rollable ribbons are provided. The optical fibers are supported by a ribbon body, and the ribbon body is formed from a flexible material such that the optical fibers are reversibly movable from an unrolled position to a rolled position. The optical fibers have a large mode filed diameter, such as ≥9 microns at 1310 nm facilitating low attenuation splicing/connectorization. The optical fibers are also highly bend insensitive, such as having a macrobend loss of ≤0.5 dB/turn at 1550 nm for a mandrel diameter of 15 mm.

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 Δ1.sub.max. 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 0.002 dB/turn. Additionally, the single mode optical fiber has a mode field diameter of 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 may comprise a core doped with one or more active ions to guide signal light from an input end of the optical fiber to an output end of the optical fiber, a cladding surrounding the core to guide pump light from the input end of the optical fiber to the output end of the optical fiber, and one or more inserts formed in the cladding surrounding the core. Each of the one or more inserts may have a geometry (e.g., a cross-sectional size, a helical pitch, and/or the like) that varies along a longitudinal length of the optical fiber, which may cause an absorption of the pump light to be modulated along the longitudinal length of the optical fiber.

A multicore optical fiber includes two or more cores, a common interior cladding surrounding the two or more cores, and a common exterior cladding surrounding the common interior cladding. The common exterior cladding has a lower relative refractive index than the common interior cladding and reduces tunneling losses from the cores. The reduced tunneling loss allows placement of cores closer to the edge of the fiber, thus providing multicore optical fibers having higher core count for a given fiber diameter. Separation between cores is controlled to minimize crosstalk.