Mode area scaling with multi-trench rod-type fibers

We propose a novel all-solid rod-type fiber structure that presents a cylindrical symmetry and low refractive-index contrasts. Effectively single-mode propagation for the fundamental mode is ensured thanks to resonant couplings between Higher Order Modes (HOMs) and cladding modes. Numerical simulations demonstrate the possibility of achieving a fundamental mode effective area as large as 5000 mu m(2) at a wavelength of 1.06 mu m in fibers ensuring a high leakage loss ratio (>100) between the HOMs and the fundamental mode while keeping the fundamental mode leakage losses at a level lower than 0.2dB/m. Further scaling to an effective area of 12,200 mu m(2) at 1.06 mu m in an effectively single-mode fiber is also presented by exploiting the power delocalization of several HOMs on top of the high-leakage loss filtering. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America