Abstract:
High index-contrast fiber waveguides, materials for forming high index-contrast fiber waveguides, and applications of high index-contrast fiber waveguides are disclosed.
Abstract:
An optical waveguide (100) including: a dielectric core region (110) extending along a waveguide axis; and a dielectric confinement region (120) surrounding the core (110) about the waveguide axis, the confinement region (120) comprising a photonic crystal structure (122, 124) having a photonic band gap, wherein during operation the confinement region (120) guides EM radiation in at least a first range of frequencies to propagate along the waveguide axis, wherein the core (110) has an average refractive index smaller than about 1.3 for a frequency in the first range of frequencies, and wherein the core (110) has a diameter in a range between about 4μ and 80μ, wherein μ is a wavelength corresponding to a central frequency in the first frequency range.