Highly birefringent low-mode-asymmetry microstructured optical fibres

A novel birefringent microstructured fibre (BMF) design is proposed, and its birefringence and dispersion characteristics are analysed using the finite element method. The results indicate that the proposed BMF design ensures high birefringence ({approx}5x10{sup -3}) at a low mode asymmetry. At a certain core ellipticity, the BMF configurations considered may have equal mode field sizes along two orthogonal axes. (fibre optics)