Hollow-core fiber (HCF) is a novel optical fiber technology with a hollow core, where light propagates primarily through air or gas instead of traditional glass media. In recent years, breakthroughs in materials and manufacturing technologies have unlocked significant potential for HCF in terms of performance and applications. Below is a detailed analysis of its development history, technical advantages, and future trends.

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I. Development History of Hollow-Core Fiber
1. Early Exploration (1990s–2000s) 
   - In 1996, the concept of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) laid the foundation for hollow-core structures.
   - In the early 2000s, experimental validation of HCF proved feasible, but high loss (>100 dB/km) and manufacturing limitations restricted its applications.

2. Technological Breakthroughs (2010s–2020s)
   - Material and Structural Optimization: Improved microstructures (e.g., anti-resonant hollow-core fiber, Kagome lattice) drastically reduced losses. For example, in 2021, the University of Southampton achieved a record-low loss of 0.28 dB/km at 1550 nm, nearing traditional fiber performance.
   - Manufacturing Advances: Stack-and-draw methods and 3D printing enhanced structural precision.

3. Commercialization Progress
   - Companies like Lumenisity and NKT Photonics now offer commercial HCF products, targeting high-power laser transmission and specialized communication scenarios.

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II. Core Advantages of Hollow-Core Fiber
1. Ultra-Low Loss and Latency
   - Light travels ~30% faster in air than in glass (close to vacuum speed), reducing latency for high-frequency trading and quantum communications.
   - Minimal nonlinear effects enable high-power laser transmission (e.g., kilowatt-level industrial lasers).

2. Anti-Interference Capability
   - Insensitive to temperature, radiation, and electromagnetic interference, ideal for extreme environments (e.g., aerospace, nuclear facilities).

3. Functional Flexibility
   - The hollow core can be filled with gases, liquids, or functional materials for sensing, chemical analysis, and customized applications.

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III. Application Trends and Emerging Directions
1. Telecommunications
   - Ultra-Low Latency Networks: Data center interconnects (DCI) and financial trading networks may adopt HCF to minimize latency.
   - Mid-/Far-Infrared Communication: HCF’s lower loss in the 2–20 μm band suits free-space optical (FSO) and satellite links.

2. High-Power Laser Delivery
   - Industrial Processing: Enables cutting and welding without thermal damage to traditional fibers.
   - Medical Applications: Precise delivery of high-energy lasers for surgery or tumor treatment.

3. Sensing and Detection
   - Gas Sensing: HCF filled with target gases enables ppb-level detection via spectroscopy (e.g., methane, CO2 monitoring).
   - Biomedical Sensing: Real-time tracking of cellular or molecular dynamics.

4. Quantum Technologies
   - Low nonlinearity reduces quantum signal distortion, enhancing quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum network ranges.

5. Defense and Aerospace
   - Radiation resistance suits satellite optical communications; lightweight designs reduce spacecraft payload.

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IV. Challenges and Future Prospects
1. Technical Barriers
   - Further Loss Reduction: Requires breakthroughs in material purity and structural design.

   - Multi-Core/Multi-Mode Integration: Developing multi-core HCF to boost transmission capacity.

   - Splicing loss: Hollow-core fiber(HCF) splicing needs a speciatly fiber splicer like FSM-100P+,Shinho S-12PM+,which are specialized for low loss splicing of Hollow-core fibers.

   - Cost Reduction: High manufacturing costs demand economies of scale.

2. Future Trends
   - Integration with Silicon Photonics: Combining HCF with chip-scale photonic devices for high-speed interconnects.
   - Smart Fiber Networks: AI-driven optimization for dynamic tuning and self-healing capabilities.
   - Extreme Environment Applications: Custom HCF for deep-sea, deep-space exploration, and more.

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V. Conclusion

Hollow-core fiber, with its unique physical properties, is breaking the performance limits of traditional fibers. It holds transformative potential in telecommunications, energy, healthcare, and defense. While challenges like cost and scalability remain, its advantages in low latency, high-power handling, and multifunctional sensing will drive adoption in high-value sectors such as quantum communications and laser processing. Over the next 5–10 years, HCF is expected to achieve large-scale commercialization in these niche domains.

Shinho Optics Limited continues to invest in the development of splicing technology to provide faster, lower loss and more economical solutions for fusion splicing.