Bend radiation in optical fibers

Abstract

A new, relatively simple way of calculating bend radiation is developed. As is often done in propagation over gently curved surfaces, the fiber curvature is accounted for by placing a straight fiber in a fictitious medium that is inhomogeneous in the plane of the bend. For a gently curved fiber, the medium is slowly varying and the WKB method is used to approximate the radial field dependence. This solution is related to the unperturbed straight fiber solution through an ansatz consistent with the WKB solution. The propagating modes in this approximation remain orthogonal, allowing an immediate generalization to the multimoded case. The radiation loss per unit length is calculated two ways and is consistent with results in the literature.     

Bend radiation in optical fibers

A new, relatively simple way of calculating bend radiation is developed. As is often done in propagation over gently curved surfaces, the fiber curvature is accounted for by placing a straight fiber in a fictitious medium that is inhomogeneous in the plane of the bend. For a gently curved fiber, the medium is slowly varying and the WKB method is used to approximate the radial field dependence. This solution is related to the unperturbed straight fiber solution through an ansatz consistent with the WKB solution. The propagating modes in this approximation remain orthogonal, allowing an immediate generalization to the multimoded case. The radiation loss per unit length is calculated two ways and is consistent with results in the literature.     

Transient radiation damage in optical fibers

We propose a new method for measuring transient radiation effects in optical fibers on a nanosecond time scale. The method, which incorporates a streak camera, allows more precise time resolution than other methods and has the advantage of simultaneously measuring radiation-induced attenuation as a function of wavelength and time. By choosing different light sources and sweep speeds, radiation-induced attenuation may be measured in a variety of experimental configurations. Examples are given of the types of output obtained with this method. In addition, we discuss possible mechanisms for radiation-induced darkening.     

Quantum-correlated photon pair generation in tellurite microstructured optical fibers

We theoretically investigated the generation of quantum-correlated photon pair through spontaneous four-wave mixing in tellurite microstructured optical fiber (MOF). We evaluated the performance of photon pair generation in tellurite fibers based on Raman gain coefficient spectra. It was shown that the TBSN16P6W tellurite fiber provided a low Raman noise on correlation photon generation over a wide pump-idler detuning range. We can choose proper tellurite composition to obtain a low Raman gain window over wide range for correlated photon pair generation. We also designed the tellurite MOF structure to obtain a small dispersion value with high nonlinear coefficient at telecommunication wavelengths, thus realize efficient quantum-correlated photon pair generation.     

Transmission of Cerenkoverenkov radiation in optical fibers

Cerenkov radiation is generated as an unwanted background when optical fibers carrying signals pass through radiation fields. The angular dependence of the intensity of ? Cerenkov radiation transmitted in silica-core fibers was measured using 6 and 12 MeV electron beams from a Varian Clinic accelerator. These confirmed theoretical predictions that the angular variation of ? Cerenkov radiation transmitted along optical fibers depends only on the refractive index difference Dn between the core and the cladding, and that the peak intensity is proportional to the cube of the fiber core radius.     

Intrinsic transmission bandwidths of graded-index plastic optical fibers

We theoretically demonstrate that microscopic heterogeneous properties can enhance the transmission bandwidths of graded-index plastic optical fibers (POFs) for short-haul communication networks. The heterogeneities of the POF cores are quantitatively correlated with mode couplings by modifying the coupled power equation with consideration of the spatial correlation characteristics of the heterogeneities. Using the modified theory, we clarify that the larger fluctuation size and/or amplitude results in higher bandwidth because of greater forward scattering and/or higher scattering efficiency, respectively. This suggests that the multimode fiber bandwidths can depend on the macroscopically observed index profiles as well as on the microscopic material properties.     

Reversible UV degradation of PMMA plastic optical fibers

Laser-induced fluorescence, Raman and absorption spectroscopy are used to investigate reversible degradation of transmission in PMMA optical fibers. When exposed to 254 nm UV light, optical transmission of PMMA plastic optical fiber in 400-800 nm range shows a significant increase in attenuation for shorter wavelengths. Over a period of 10 days following UV exposure, the transmittance of the plastic fiber recovers to a significant fraction of its pre-exposure value. UV-exposed fiber exhibits strong laser-induced fluorescence with 488 nm argon-ion laser. This fluorescence spans a spectral region between 450 nm and 750 nm with a peak around 580 nm. The fluorescence intensity decreases over several days following UV exposure. Likewise, Raman is also used to investigate degradation process. Freshly UV-exposed fiber shows total absence of Raman spectrum of PMMA. Following UV exposure, recovery of Raman signal over several days is correlated to the recovery of fiber transmittance as well as the decay of laser-induced fluorescence. A widely believed plausible explanation for UV-induced increase of attenuation involves formation of different macro radicals which recombine progressively after UV is stopped. Laser-induced fluorescence over several days is reported here providing direct evidence for molecular-level deterioration and recovery of PMMA.     

Bile enterogastric reflux sensor using plastic optical fibers

A portable optical-fiber sensor for ambulatory assessment of the enterogastric reflux, based on the optical properties of the bile, was developed. It makes use of two light-emitting diodes and of an appropriate electronic circuit that processes the signals and provides the readout on a display. A suitable probe for in vivo measurements was designed. Plastic fiber bundles are used in order to obtain probe flexibility and low price. In vivo measurements performed on different patients show the superiority of this technique over existing methods.     

Coherence of supercontinua generated by ultrashort pulses compressed in optical fibers

Femtosecond fiber lasers together with nonlinear fibers are compact, reliable, all-fiber supercontinuum sources. Maintaining an all-fiber configuration, however, necessitates pulse compression in an optical fiber, which can lead to nonlinearities for subhundred femtosecond, nanojoule pulses. In this work we show that using large-mode-area fibers for pulse compression mitigates the nonlinearity, resulting in compressed pulses with significantly reduced satellite pulses. Consequently, supercontinua generated with these pulses are shown to have as much as a 10 dB increase in coherence fringe contrast. By using a hybrid highly nonlinear fiber-photonic crystal fiber, the continuum can be extended to visible wavelengths while still maintaining high coherence.     

脉冲γ射线对光纤的辐射效应

介绍了光纤的损耗机制和γ射线对光纤的辐射效应,设计了针对脉冲γ射线作用于光纤而产生辐射感生损耗的实验测量系统。利用平均光子能量为0.3 MeV、脉冲宽度25 ns、剂量率2.03×107Gy.s-1,和平均光子能量为1.0 MeV、脉冲宽度25 ns、剂量率5.32×109Gy.s-1的2种脉冲γ射线分别作用于多模和单模光纤,分别采用波长为405,660,850,1 310和1 550 nm的激光光纤传输系统对辐射感生损耗进行了测量。获得了光纤辐射感生损耗和辐射剂量的关系,并对实验结果进行分析。从实验结果可以看出:在近红外到可见光范围内,脉冲γ射线对光纤作用产生的辐射感生损耗随探测波长减小而增大;在0.1~3.5 Gy剂量范围内,多模光纤辐射感生损耗和辐射剂量呈线性关系。分析辐射对光纤的作用机制和实验结果后得出:光纤基质原子的电子能级对传输光子的共振吸收而造成吸收损耗增加;光纤折射率分布的改变从而导致波导损耗增加。     

脉冲γ射线对光纤的辐射效应

介绍了光纤的损耗机制和γ射线对光纤的辐射效应,设计了针对脉冲γ射线作用于光纤而产生辐射感生损耗的实验测量系统。利用平均光子能量为0.3 MeV、脉冲宽度25 ns、剂量率2.03×107 Gy·s-1,和平均光子能量为1.0 MeV、脉冲宽度25 ns、剂量率5.32×109 Gy·s-1的2种脉冲γ射线分别作用于多模和单模光纤,分别采用波长为405,660,850,1 310和1 550 nm的激光光纤传输系统对辐射感生损耗进行了测量。获得了光纤辐射感生损耗和辐射剂量的关系,并对实验结果进行分析。从实验结果可以看出：在近红外到可见光范围内,脉冲γ射线对光纤作用产生的辐射感生损耗随探测波长减小而增大;在0.1~3.5 Gy剂量范围内,多模光纤辐射感生损耗和辐射剂量呈线性关系。分析辐射对光纤的作用机制和实验结果后得出：光纤基质原子的电子能级对传输光子的共振吸收而造成吸收损耗增加;光纤折射率分布的改变从而导致波导损耗增加。     

Coherence properties of supercontinuum spectra generated in photonic crystal and tapered optical fibers

Numerical simulations have been used in studies of the temporal and spectral features of supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal and tapered optical fibers. In particular, an ensemble average over multiple simulations performed with random quantum noise on the input pulse allows the coherence of the supercontinuum to be quantified in terms of the dependence of the degree of first-order coherence on the wavelength. The coherence is shown to depend strongly on the input pulse's duration and wavelength, and optimal conditions for the generation of coherent supercontinua are discussed.     

Influence of the angle-dependence of mode coupling on optical power distribution in step-index plastic optical fibers

Determination of the power distribution in step index plastic optical fibers by the power flow equation has been reported in the literature both with and without the simplifying assumption of constant coupling that is independent of the angle of light propagation. The need for this assumption is evaluated in this paper. Results with the angle-dependent coupling coefficient are compared to those derived under the simplifying assumption of constant coupling. Benchmarked to values measured experimentally, this comparison covered the coupling lengths L_c (denoting where the equilibrium mode distribution is achieved in the fiber) and lengths z_s (for achieving the steady-state distribution). Results differ slightly but only for longer fiber lengths, thus largely vindicating the simplifying assumption of constant coupling.     

Mode selection of laser radiation by computer- generated optical elements

New holographical optical elements—modans—are described that are computer-generated and aimed to select modes of laser radiation. Modans are matched with modal spatial configurations and are able to transform the modal-power distribution into the focal-intensity distribution. It is shown that optical systems containing modans are able to measure modal power and phase distribution at the fiber or laser output. Theoretical and experimental results confirm the possibilities of forming coherent beams with required modal compositions by diffractive optical elements. Applications of modans are investigated for fiber-optical sensors of microshifts.     

Optical radiation dynamics in optical fibers with nonlinear intermode coupling

The possibility of creation of a waveguiding medium with intermode coupling depending on the intensity of radiation introduced into the optical fiber is studied. It is shown that soliton-like pulses and nonlinear regimes of self-compression in the visible and ultraviolet spectral ranges in the case of a normal dispersion of group velocities can be formed in these structures.