Analytical investigation of total losses in anti-resonant hollow-core fibers comprising different materials at mid-infrared wavelengths

Mid-infrared (MIR) fibers are noteworthy owing to their flexible transmission modality and capacity to render optical systems more compact and highly portable. Compared with traditional step-index fibers, anti-resonant hollow-core fibers (AR-HCFs) opens up a new path characterized by low loss, low nonlinearity, low dispersion, and a high laser damage threshold. This work presents an analytical framework for evaluating the total loss of single-ring and nested tubular AR-HCFs made with silica, tellurite, and chalcogenide glasses. The effects of the refractive index, material absorption, and cladding structure on various loss mechanisms were systematically investigated. Our results provide a comprehensive perspective for guiding material selection and structural design in optimizing the transmission properties of MIR AR-HCFs.