Novel air guiding microstructured optical fibres
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Optoelectronics Research Ctr (closed)
Abstract
Hollow core optical fibres guide light in a hollow core surrounded by a delicately engineered microstructure that can be designed to confine light into the air core and guide it therein.
Hollow core fibres have many advantages over conventional optical fibres totally made of glass, such as an ultra-low latency, a much more linear behaviour, and the potential for lower loss. However, fairly little is yet known about their physical guidance mechanism and about the optimum microstructure design that can lead to ultimate performances.
In this project we will study the fundamental guidance mechanisms and apply machine learning techniques combined with finite element analysis (FEA) to optimise microstructured optical fibre claddings for various applications, such as short reach data communication and power delivery.
Key objectives:
- Develop enhanced physical understanding of the guidance mechanism in novel hollow core fibres;
- Develop a framework that incorporates both machine learning and FEA to optimise hollow core fibre cladding geometries;
- Identify and incorporate fibre application specific requirements into the framework;
- Generate next generation fibre designs;
- In collaboration with the research group, work towards the fabrication of these designs.
Hollow core fibres have many advantages over conventional optical fibres totally made of glass, such as an ultra-low latency, a much more linear behaviour, and the potential for lower loss. However, fairly little is yet known about their physical guidance mechanism and about the optimum microstructure design that can lead to ultimate performances.
In this project we will study the fundamental guidance mechanisms and apply machine learning techniques combined with finite element analysis (FEA) to optimise microstructured optical fibre claddings for various applications, such as short reach data communication and power delivery.
Key objectives:
- Develop enhanced physical understanding of the guidance mechanism in novel hollow core fibres;
- Develop a framework that incorporates both machine learning and FEA to optimise hollow core fibre cladding geometries;
- Identify and incorporate fibre application specific requirements into the framework;
- Generate next generation fibre designs;
- In collaboration with the research group, work towards the fabrication of these designs.
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/N509747/1 | 01/10/2016 | 30/09/2021 | |||
| 2116218 | Studentship | EP/N509747/1 | 01/10/2018 | 27/03/2022 | William Shere |
| EP/R513325/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/09/2023 | |||
| 2116218 | Studentship | EP/R513325/1 | 01/10/2018 | 27/03/2022 | William Shere |
| Description | Anti-resonant hollow-core fibres are a new optical fibre technology which has the potential to radically improve the state-of-the-art in most optical fibre applications. In this work anti-resonant fibres were investigated for use in a multi-mode regime, extremely important for applications such as high power laser delivery, industrial machining and short-haul data-centre datacomms, but hitherto largely unexplored in anti-resonant fibres. As well as identifying the most promising deployment areas and the technical challenges for designing and deploying multi-mode anti-resonant fibres in these areas, several designs and fast, accurate design techniques were theoretically developed for creating multi-mode anti-resoant fibres. |
| Exploitation Route | Several designs and techniques were theoretically developed for multi-mode anti-resonant hollow-core optical fibres which suggested these fibres have great promise. A natural next step is to fabricate some of these designs and perform practical experiments. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | AirGuide industrial days |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Event where research and industrial partners / interested parties attended a day of presentations and discussions about the group's recent achievements, current research goals and possible future directions and possibilities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021,2022 |
| Description | Isle of Wight Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Several groups of around 20 pupils from different schools attended the festival where we presented a demonstration of optical fibre drawing followed by questions and discussions with the children. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |