Design of a microstructure fibre for slope-matched dispersion compensation

Abstract

A microstructure fibre structure based on pure silica is proposed for broadband dispersion compensation. The influence of the three air-hole parameters and the lattice period of triangular cladding upon the dispersion curve is investigated. The dispersion of the standard single-mode fibre, which is 98 times the length of the microstructure fibre, can be compensated over the entire 100 nm wavelength range centred on 1550 nm (to within 0.5%). The influence of the random imperfections of air-hole diameters is also studied for practical applications, and the sensitivity of the broadband compensation capability of the microstructure fibre to the irregularities induced during the fabrication process is estimated.