An elongate waveguide for guiding light includes a core having an elongate
region of relatively low refractive index; a microstructured region
around the core having elongate regions of relatively low refractive
index interspersed with elongate regions of relatively high refractive
index; and a boundary at the interface between the core and the
microstructured region, the boundary including in the transverse
cross-section, a region of relatively high refractive index, which is
connected to the microstructured region at a plurality of nodes, at least
one relatively enlarged region around the boundary (and excluding a
boundary having twelve nodes and six enlarged regions substantially at a
mid-point between six pairs of relatively more-widely-spaced apart
neighboring nodes).