Applications of photonic crystal fibers in optical communication

Abstract

Abstract Photonic crystal fiber is a category of optical fibers, getting great attention by its promise to offer a range of optical characteristics that are not achievable in conventional optical fibers. Engineered dispersion and nonlinear characteristics of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) make it an attractive candidate for nonlinear optics and advanced optical networking in the all-optical domain. An optical network consists of different optical components such as laser sources, amplifiers, regenerators, and convertors for proper signal transmission over long distances. In recent years, the performance of the components has been improving by employing the appealing properties of PCF. The PCF’s application on such components is discussed, and the simulated results on gain amplification, regeneration, conversion, fiber laser are reviewed. These developments reveal that the enhanced performance provided by PCF makes it suitable for different optics applications.