Theoretical analysis of backscattering in hollow-core antiresonant fibers

Abstract

We present a theoretical analysis into the fundamental physical mechanisms contributing to backscattering in hollow-core antiresonant fibers. We consider Rayleigh scattering originating from the hollow regions of the fiber which maybe filled with gases, Rayleigh scattering from within the glass membranes as well as the contribution from scatteringat the glass surfaces. We derive expressions for the backscattering coefficient into any specified guided mode for anarbitrary excitation. These lead to general scaling relations with the core size and wavelength which are found to be thekey parameters for backscattering, regardless of the exact antiresonant geometry. For a nested antiresonant hollow-corefiber with a core diameter of 35 μm, the only antiresonant fiber geometry for which experimental data is available inthe literature, we find that the surface-scattering limited backscattering coefficient of the fundamental mode into itselfis nearly 40 dB below that of a single mode fiber, in good agreement with recently published measurements.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Eric Numkam Fokoua: orcid.org/0000-0003-0873-911X

ORCID for Radan Slavík: orcid.org/0000-0002-9336-4262

ORCID for Francesco Poletti: orcid.org/0000-0002-1000-3083

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