Hollow-Core Fiber Properties and System-Level Specifications for Next-Generation Optical Transport Networks

In light of the recent advances in hollow-core fiber (HCF) design and manufacturing, wide-scale deployments of this fiber type to realize next-generation optical transport networks may become viable in the foreseeable future, with benefits in terms of lower latency and improved capacity/reach. Nevertheless, several uncertainties remain regarding the properties of HCF that can be manufactured at scale, as well as the specifications of optical amplifiers developed to leverage the negligible low linearity of this fiber type. This work evaluates the performance of HCFs considering a wide range of potential fiber and amplifier parameters and compares them with traditional standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) and pure-silica-core fiber (PSCF). The resulting analysis allows us to determine, at a system and network level, the combination of fiber and amplifier parameters that will allow HCF to become a competitive transmission medium for next-generation optical transport networks.