A STRUCTURED OPTICAL FIBRE WITH CLADDING REGION SIZED TO PROVIDE HIGH NUMERICAL APERTURE, METHOD OF ITS PRODUCTION, AND USE THEREOF

摘要

An article comprising an optical fibre, the fibre comprising at least one core surrounded by a first outer cladding region, the first outer cladding region being surrounded by a second outer cladding region, the first outer cladding region in the cross-section comprising a number of first outer cladding features having a lower refractive index than any material surrounding the first outer cladding features, wherein for a plurality of said first outer cladding features, the minimum distance between two nearest neighbouring first outer cladding features is smaller than 1.0 µm or smaller than an optical wavelength of light guided through the fibre when in use; a method of its production, and use thereof.