US Patent 8971685 Multicore fiber

A multicore fiber includes a plurality of core elements; and a clad surrounding an outer periphery surface of each of the core elements, and each of the core elements includes a core, a first clad surrounding the outer periphery surface of the core and a second clad surrounding an outer periphery surface of the first clad, and when a refractive index of the core is n1, a refractive index of the first clad is n2, a refractive index of the second clad is n3 and a refractive index of the clad is n4, all of n1>n2>n3, n1>n4 and n3<n4 are satisfied.