Patent ID: 7274848

Claim:
An optical fiber comprising: a core disposed about a centerline; and a cladding surrounding and in contact with the core; wherein the core and cladding define a relative refractive index profile; wherein the core comprises: a central segment extending radially outward from the centerline; a first annular segment surrounding and in contact with the central segment; and a second annular segment surrounding and in contact with the first annular segment; wherein the refractive index profile provides a dispersion at 1550 nm more negative than −145 ps/nm/km, a kappa at 1550 nm greater than 250 nm, and a figure of merit at 1550 nm of greater than 330 ps/nm/dB, wherein the kappa is the ratio of dispersion at 1550 nm divided by dispersion slope at 1550 nm, and wherein the figure of merit is the absolute magnitude of the ratio of dispersion at 1550 nm divided by spectral attenuation at 1550 nm.