title: Independent core propagation in two-core photonic crystal fibers resulting from structural nonuniformities.
abstract: Random nonuniformities in the photonic crystal lattice are shown to reduce the coupling length and the coupling efficiency of two-core photonic crystal fibers. These coupling properties are extremely sensitive to imperfections when the air holes are large; variations in the lattice of less than 1% are sufficient to cause essentially independent core propagation due to a drastic reduction in the efficiency of the core coupling. The observed sensitivity of two-core fibers to lattice imperfections is explained through a comparison with coupled mode theory.
authors.forename: Kristen Lantz
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Reichenbach
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu