Study on structure deformation of polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fibers

Two well-known polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fibers were investigated by introducing some deformations in their air hole claddings. Variation of size and position of the cladding air holes could change the effective indexes of the fundamental guide modes of the deformed fibers, so change the zero dispersion wavelengths. In addition, the polarization character, such as birefringence and beating length, depends on the structure deformation as well. The purpose of applications determines the tolerance of structure deformation.