Refractive index profile optimisation for the design of optical fibres

Owing to advanced manufacturing techniques, it is possible to produce cylindrical single-mode fibres with nearly arbitrary refractive index profiles. For the design of optical fibres automated optimisation schemes have yet to be exploited. We have employed deterministic local, and stochastic global optimisation schemes for the minimisation of a cost function based on dispersion, dispersion slope, macro-bending losses and mode-field diameter, on the space of continuous piecewise linear dopant concentration profiles. For the local schemes (modified and quasi Newton), it appears possible to select a few initial profiles, such that the optimisation results are close to the “global optima” (within 8%), found using global schemes (simulated annealing and differential evolution), while reducing computation times significantly (minutes instead of days). For the local schemes, the cost function gradient is required. Fréchet derivatives are more efficient than finite-difference approximations. A sensitivity analysis provides useful information for manufacturers regarding the required profile accuracy. A comparison of our optimised fibre designs with commercially available optical fibres demonstrates that existing fibres can be improved.