Design of low crosstalk and bend insensitive optical interconnect using rectangular array multicore fiber

A design strategy for achieving minimum crosstalk in a space division multiplexed 2×42×4 multicore fiber (MCF) for application in next generation exa-bandwidth optical interconnects is proposed. To evaluate crosstalk in adjacent cores of MCF, a semi-analytical approach based on finite element method and coupled power theory is applied. The dependence of crosstalk on various MCF parameters – such as index profile parameter, core to core pitch and bending radius – is investigated. It is shown that optical interconnects based on heterogeneous core MCF with triangular index profile and optimum core to core pitch, can be configured to have minimum crosstalk per unit length. Moreover, such interconnects show high degree of bend tolerance for both small and large bending radii.