Fluoride glass microstructured optical fiber with large mode area and mid-infrared transmission

Abstract

We demonstrate the first fluorozirconate microstructured fiber for use in the mid-infrared. The fiber preform was manufactured via extrusion of a 200 g billet through a complex graphite die. The fiber exhibits large mode area of 6,600 microm(2), loss of 3 dB/m at 4 microm and only marginal excess loss relative to a corresponding unstructured fiber.