Abstract

Optical fibers consisted of multiple cores (multi-core fibers, MCFs) are widely regarded as the leading solution path to the optical communications capacity crunch. MCFs are also used in high power lasers, microwave photonics, and shape-sensing applications. The most common paradigm for the design and employment of MCFs is to try and restrict the direct coupling of power among different cores through sufficient optical isolation. However, the different cores remain mechanically coupled.

© 2017 IEEE