Air-clad fibers: pump absorption assisted by chaotic wave dynamics?

Wave chaos is a concept which has already proved its practical usefulness in design of double-clad fibers for cladding-pumped fiber lasers and fiber amplifiers. In general, classically chaotic geometries will favor strong pump absorption and we address the extent of chaotic wave dynamics in typical air-clad geometries. While air-clad structures supporting sup-wavelength convex air-glass interfaces (viewed from the high-index side) will promote chaotic dynamics we find guidance of regular whispering-gallery modes in air-clad structures resembling an overall cylindrical symmetry. Highly symmetric air-clad structures may thus suppress the pump-absorption efficiency eta below the ergodic scaling law etainfinity Ac/Acl, where Ac and Acl are the areas of the rare-earth doped core and the cladding, respectively.