Manufacturing Conditions for Microstructured and Nanostructured Optical Fibers

Microstructured optical fiber samples are presented that illustrate the lattice dynamics when fiber-drawing parameters are not ideal. The fiber samples contain simple and complex lattices that exhibit controlled and distorted lattice structures bound by a small (<;0.5) dimensionless capillary number. Although predictive numerical models exist, special manufacturing conditions are required for fabricating novel fiber lattices at limited quantities. This study is useful for basic-research studies on the development of novel lattice structures with characteristically short preform lengths (<;0.5 m) and modest draw rates (<;30 m/min) for the small-volume production of experimental microstructured and nanostructured optical fibers.