Optical fiber having an elevated threshold for stimulated brillouin scattering

摘要

An optical fiber having an elevated threshold for stimulated Brillouin scattering is provided. The optical fiber includes a core and a cladding surrounding the core with both the core and the cladding designed to guide optical waves through the core while anti-guiding acoustic waves. Moreover, the optical fiber includes other features to alter the mode profile of the acoustic waves and/or to further promote the lateral radiation of at least some of the acoustic waves. For example, the optical fiber can include an irregular coating surrounding the cladding that varies in a lengthwise direction in order to alter the mode profile of the acoustic waves. In addition to or instead of the irregular coating, the optical fiber can include a quarter wave layer surrounding the cladding to promote the lateral radiation of the acoustic waves away from the core and cladding. In order to further alter the mode profile of the acoustic waves, the cladding can also have a lateral thickness that varies irregularly in a lengthwise direction.