Passively Q-switched Nd:YAG pumped UV lasers at 280 and 374 nm

Pulsed UV lasers at the wavelengths of 374 and 280 nm are realized by cascaded second harmonic generation (SHG) and sum frequency generation (SFG) processes using a Nd:YAG laser at 1123 nm. The Nd:YAG laser is longitudinally pumped and passively Q-switched, and it has a high peak power of 3.2 kW. The UV peak powers at 280 and 374 nm are 100 and 310 W, with pulse lengths of 6 and 8 ns, respectively. Spectral broadening of 374 nm laser by stimulated Raman scattering is studied in single mode pure silica core UV fiber. Realizations of UV lasers enabling compact design at 280 and 374 nm wavelengths are demonstrated.     

Simultaneous measurement of refractive index and temperature using dual-period grapefruit microstructured fiber grating

By cascading the long period fiber grating (LPFG) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in grapefruit microstructured fiber, a novel dual-period fiber grating sensor is proposed. The refractive index and temperature are measured simultaneously by using the different sensitivity of FBG and LPFG. The relationship between dual-period fiber grating transmission spectrum and refractive index, resonant wavelengths and temperature are analyzed theoretically, respectively. The simulation results show that the accuracy of the sensor in measuring refractive index and temperature is estimated to be 2319.6 nm/RIU in a range from 1.33 to 1.36 and 0.017 nm/°C from 0 °C to 100 °C, respectively. Thus, the sensor has high refractive index sensitivity, and can provide the theoretical foundation for the optical fiber biosensor.     

Design and fabrication of an intrinsically gain flattened Erbium doped fiber amplifier

We report design and subsequent fabrication of an intrinsically gain flattened Erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) based on a highly asymmetrical and concentric dual-core fiber, inner core of which was only partially doped. Phase-resonant optical coupling between the two cores was so tailored through optimization of its refractive index profile parameters that the longer wavelengths within the C-band experience relatively higher amplification compared to the shorter wavelengths thereby reducing the difference in the well-known tilt in the gains between the shorter and longer wavelength regions. The fabricated EDFA exhibited a median gain ?28 dB (gain excursion below ±2.2 dB within the C-band) when 16 simultaneous standard signal channels were launched by keeping the I/P level for each at −20 dBm/channel. Such EDFAs should be attractive for deployment in metro networks, where economics is a premium, because it would cut down the cost on gain flattening filter head.     

Stable multiwavelength fiber ring laser with equalized power spectrum based on a semiconductor optical amplifier

We experimentally demonstrated a new structure of a multiwavelength semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) ring laser based on a fiber Sagnac loop filter that can generate up to 25 stable output lasing wavelengths at room temperature. By varying the length of a polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber within the Sagnac loop filter, the wavelength spacing between the output lasing wavelengths can be changed to a desired value. By tuning a polarization controller (PC) within the Sagnac loop filter, stable multiwavelength 1550-nm operation with up to 17 lasing lines within 3 dB power level variation and with a wavelength spacing of ∼0.8 nm was achieved. The optical signal-to-noise ratios (OSNRs) of all the lasing wavelengths are greater than 40 dB.     

A tunable narrow-line-width multi-wavelength Er-doped fiber laser based on a high birefringence fiber ring mirror and an auto-tracking filter

A novel multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser operating in C-band is proposed and successfully demonstrated. The wavelength interval between the wavelengths is about 0.22 nm. The 3 dB bandwidth of the laser is about 0.012 nm, and the output power reaches 4.8 mW. By using a high birefringence fiber ring mirror (HiBi-FLM) and a tunable FBG, the laser realizes switchable and tunable characteristic. The mode hopping can be effectively prevented. Moreover, this laser can improve wavelength stability significantly by taking advantage of an un-pumped Er³⁺-doped fiber at the standing-wave section. The laser can operate in stable narrow-line-width with single-, dual-wavelength, and unstable triple-wavelength output at room temperature.     

Mechanically induced long-period fiber gratings on tapered fibers

The characteristics of a mechanically induced long-period fiber grating (MLPFG) made by pressing a pair of grooved plates over single-mode fiber tapers are analyzed. Fiber tapers with a waist length of 80 mm and diameter ranging from 90 to 125 μm, fabricated using the heating and puling method, were used. We observed that the resonance wavelengths shift toward shorter wavelengths as the fiber taper waist diameter is reduced. A maximum shift of 254 nm in the position of the resonance peaks was observed when the fiber diameter was reduced to 90 μm. This technique is particularly suitable for tuning the resonance wavelengths to shorter wavelengths below the limit imposed by the grooved plate period.     

Highly reliable strain-tuning of an Erbium-doped fiber laser for the interrogation of multiplexed Bragg grating sensors

The authors implemented a tunable linear cavity Erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser for the interrogation of multiplexed fiber Bragg grating sensors (BGS). A high-strength single-pulse draw-tower fiber Bragg grating (FBG) was used as the mechanically tunable element enabling the rapid wavelength sweeping of the laser center wavelength. A simple algorithm to process the noisy acquired data and identify the peak of the BGS spectra was employed. For the first time, this type of configuration was used to reliably interrogate at least three fiber Bragg grating sensors with a standard wavelength spacing between the Bragg wavelengths of 3 nm, without risk of breaking the stretched fiber, using an FBG with a simple PZT driven mount as the tuning elements.     

Tunable dual-wavelength fiber laser based on a single fiber Bragg grating in a Sagnac loop interferometer

We propose a simple dual-wavelength Er-doped fiber laser configuration based on a dual-wavelength fiber Bragg grating written on the splice joint between two different fibers for wavelength-selective filter in the Sagnac loop interferometer. The wavelength separation between the adjacent lasing wavelengths is 1.12 nm and the side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) is over 55 dB. The output power variation is less than 0.8 dB over a two-minute period. Moreover, the lasing wavelength can be effectively tuned using the thermal heating method.     

1.6 μm band double pass fiber Raman amplifiers using Raman fiber oscillator

We propose double pass fiber Raman amplifier schemes based on Raman fiber oscillator in order to amplify optical signal with wavelengths from 1610 to 1650 nm efficiently. We experimentally demonstrate that the proposed double pass amplifier scheme has enhanced gain characteristics compared to a conventional single pass scheme. We also demonstrate a scheme for the proposed double pass amplifier to have small gain variation over the wavelength range by using two fiber Bragg gratings with different center wavelengths.     

Dual-wavelength high-power Yb-doped double-clad fiber laser based on a few-mode fiber Bragg grating

We report a high-power dual-wavelength Yb-doped double-clad fiber laser based on a few-mode fiber Bragg grating (FMFBG). The FMFBG was fabricated by using a piece of fiber in a length of fiber with a cutoff wavelength of 1225 nm, which supported two modes at 1060 nm. The laser was pumped by a fiber pigtailed laser diode working at 915 nm. Single-wavelength, dual-wavelength and triple-wavelength laser oscillations were observed when the fiber laser operated under different low pump powers. However, stable dual-wavelength operation was achieved at higher pump power of 3.9 W and remained unchanged until the output power reached 5.67 W under the maximum available pump power of 10.7 W. The laser wavelengths were centered at 1059.12 and 1060.80 nm with a full-width at half-maximum of 37 and 43 pm, respectively. The signal-to-noise-ratio was greater than 50 dB and the beam quality factor (M²) was about 1.9.     

Multiwavelength fiber laser using S-band erbium-doped fiber amplifier and semiconductor optical amplifier

A multiwavelength fiber ring laser that is based on an S-band erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is developed. An optical switch is used to switch the multiwavelength fiber laser between S-band and L-band. This fiber laser can stably lase seven wavelengths in the S-band or 28 wavelengths in the L-band. Additionally, the lasing wavelengths with a signal-to-noise ratio of over 33 dB and a wavelength spacing of 100 GHz are demonstrated experimentally. The average powers of the lasing wavelength in the S-band and the L-band are −7.53 and −12.15 dBm, respectively.     

Tunable double-clad ytterbium-doped fiber laser based on a double-pass Mach-Zehnder interferometer

We have demonstrated an adjustable double-clad Yb³⁺-doped fiber laser using a double-pass Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The laser is adjustable over a range of 40 nm from 1064 nm to 1104 nm. By adjusting the state of the polarization controller, which is placed in the double-pass Mach-Zehnder interferometer, we obtained central lasing wavelengths that can be accurately tuned with controllable spacing between different tunable wavelengths. The laser has a side mode suppression ratio of 42 dB, the 3 dB spectral width is less than 0.2 nm, and the slope efficiencies at 1068 nm, 1082 nm and 1098 nm are 23%, 32% and 26%, respectively. In addition, we have experimentally observed tunable multi-wavelengths lasing output.     

Broadband Er-Yb co-doped superfluorescent fiber source

In this paper, extensive experimental results on broad-band double cladding Er³⁺-Yb³⁺ co-doped superfluorescent fiber sources (SFSs), characterizing their output power, mean wavelength, and bandwidth (BW) stability with variations of pump power, pump wavelength, and fiber temperature, have been reported. For a 55-cm fiber, SFS power from 3.7755 (maximum BW condition of more than 80 nm) to 9.1837 mW (maximum power condition, BW is about 34 nm) has been achieved. The SFS mean wavelength dependence on pump wavelength is highly pump temperature sensitive, and can be reduced to zero in a chosen pump temperature field. The intrinsic variation of the SFS mean wavelength λ_m with fiber temperature is also measured, and a linear variation from 15 to 45 °C with a slop of −0.053 nm/°C for L_f = 100 cm and −0.04 nm/°C for L_f = 55 cm is found.     

Modelling consideration of praseodymium-doped fiber amplifiers for 1.3 μm wavelength applications

To obtain the temperature-sensitive rate equations, a new energy level diagram of Praseodymium ion (Pr³⁺) in a glass host is modelled. By solving the modified rate equations, an analytical expression is presented to investigate the temperature dependence of the signal gain of a praseodymium-doped fiber amplifier (PDFA). It is seen that a change in the signal gain slightly depends on the variation of the distribution of Pr³⁺-ions in transitions ³F₄ ↔ ³F₃ with the temperature. Numerical calculations are carried out for the temperature range which is changing from −20 to +60 °C. Pr³⁺-doped ZBLAN fiber amplifier pumped at 1017 nm and Pr³⁺-doped sulfide fiber amplifier pumped at 1028 nm are selected as an application for the 1.3 μm signal wavelengths. It is also seen that the prediction of the model is in good agrement with their experimental results.     

Radiation response behaviour of Al codoped germano-silicate SM fiber at high radiation dose

Radiation response behaviour of Ge + Al doped SM fiber fabricated by the solution doping process has been studied at room temperature with respect to 1310 nm transmission wavelength under three different dose rates of 200, 400 and 600 Rad/min to compare with that of standard Er doped as well as Ge doped SM fibers. Their radiation sensitivity has been observed with variation of dose rates, transmission wavelength along with their recovery nature. Radiation response behaviour of Al doped SM fiber is found to be slightly non-linear in nature with very low dose rate dependency. No saturation level was found upto 13 Krad cumulative dose. Thermobleaching as well as photobleaching phenomena have also been studied. Gamma irradiated Al doped preform shows an absorption peak at around 300 nm due to generation of Al (E′) defect center and gets annihilated after thermobleaching process. Gamma irradiated Al doped SM fiber shows prominent photobleaching effect on their optical attenuation with respect to the 850 nm transmission wavelength. From ESR study resonance signals for Al³⁺ related radiation-induced defect centers are not clearly observed in this study. A very weak hyperfine pattern has been observed for gamma irradiated Al doped preform sample. The high radiation sensitivity along with linear response behaviour, low recovery and almost dose rate independence behaviour of the material system of Ge + Al codoped SM core optical fiber under gamma radiation shows their potential for application as fiber optic radiation sensor in comparison to the universal standard erbium doped SM fiber.     

Microwave generation using an all polarization-maintaining linear cavity dual-wavelength fiber laser with tunable wavelength spacing

A stable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser with a linear cavity is formed by a polarization-maintaining uniform fiber Bragg grating (PM-FBG) and a polarization-maintaining linearly chirped fiber Bragg grating (PM-LCFBG), both of which were fabricated on a high-birefringence (Hi-Bi) fiber. Experimental results show stable dual-wavelength lasing operation with a wavelength separation of ∼0.22 nm, which can be tuned down to as small as 0.05 nm and a large optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of over 40 dB under room-temperature. Microwave signal at frequency of 9.41, 18.03 and 27.46 GHz is achieved by heterodyned the output lasing wavelengths on a photodetector.     

Millimeter wave carrier generation based on Brillouin fiber laser with improved tuning capability

An all-optically generated millimeter wave carrier at 21.7 GHz, 43 GHz and 64.45 GHz are experimentally achieved. These frequencies are realized by generating two consecutively laser wavelengths and are detecting on the 70 GHz high-speed photo detector (HSPD). The initial mixing between the Brillouin pump and the second-order Stokes wavelengths is spaced by 0.178 nm. This spacing, which is doubled from an inherently generated Stokes shift, is accomplished through an isolated circulation of the first order Stokes wave in the double Brillouin Stokes shifter (DSBS) built with 25-km single mode fiber. The generated millimeter carrier is measured at 21.7 GHz, 43 GHz and 64.4 GHz achieved with BP power of 11 mW, 30 mW and 47 mW, respectively.     

Multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser employing a nonlinear optical loop mirror

A stable and broad bandwidth multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser is proposed and demonstrated successfully. A nonlinear optical loop mirror which induces wavelength-dependent cavity loss and behaves as an amplitude equalizer is employed to ensure stable room-temperature multiwavelength operation. Up to 50 wavelengths lasing oscillations with wavelength spacing of 0.8 nm within a 3-dB spectral range of 1562-1605 nm has been achieved. The measured power fluctuation of each wavelength is about 0.1 dB within a 2-h period.     

A broadband ultra flattened chromatic dispersion microstructured fiber for optical communications

A double-cladding microstructured fiber (MF) is proposed in this paper. The inner cladding of this optical fiber is composed of elliptical air holes and silica. The dependence of dispersion on the diameter of the air holes, the pitch, and the axes of the elliptical holes is investigated numerically. The proposed fiber possesses an ultra flattened dispersion curve over a wide wavelength range, and its dispersion value is small. The effective mode area is approaching to 60 μm², and the confinement loss is as low as <0.025 dB/km at 1550 nm. While choosing suitable structure parameters, an ultra dispersion-flattened MF within a broadband from1000 nm to 1900 nm can be achieved. The dispersion fluctuation is 0.6-1.0 ps/(nm·km) in all S, C and L band.     

Excited state absorption spectroscopy for thulium-doped zirconium fluoride fiber

The excited state absorption (ESA) transitions at 1050 and 1420 nm play a fundamental role in thulium-doped fiber amplifiers (TDFA). We present a novel setup to measure the spectral cross-sections of these transitions in amplifier fibers and the results of this measurement in case of thulium-doped fluorozirconate (ZBLAN) fibers. Besides a standard system for fiber attenuation measurements and a long-pass filter, we use only components from the fiber amplifier setup, including the active fiber. No special parts are needed. We show that this fiber optic method delivers reliable results for different lengths of the doped fibers. The oscillator strengths of the measured transitions are calculated and compared to values published in the literature.