Fibre attenuator manufactured with granulated oxides

A cobalt doped fibre with a flat spectral attenuation between 1250 and 1610 nm is manufactured with the technique of granulated oxides. With a dopant concentration of 0.5 at % Co²⁺ and 10 at % Al³⁺ an average attenuation of 0.95 dB/cm between 1250 and 1610 nm is achieved. The spectral attenuation varies by ±3.6%.     

Miniaturized fiber inline Fabry-Perot interferometer fabricated with a femtosecond laser

We report a miniaturized inline Fabry-Perot interferometer directly fabricated on a single-mode optical fiber with a femtosecond laser. The device had a loss of 16 dB and an interference visibility exceeding 14 dB. The device was tested and survived in high temperatures up to 1100 degrees C. With an accessible cavity and all-glass structure, the new device is attractive for sensing applications in high-temperature harsh environments.     

Stable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser using novel fabricated side-polished arc-shaped fiber with deposited ZnO nanoparticles

A dual-wavelength fiber laser operating at the 1550 nm region using a side-polished arc-shaped fiber with deposited ZnO nanoparticles is proposed and demonstrated. The arc-polished fiber is fabricated by using a simple but novel approach in which a silicon carbide paper polishes one side of a conventional single-mode fiber. An arc-polished fiber with a length of 2.25 mm and an insertion loss of 0.95 dB is obtained and deposited with ZnO nanoparticles by the drop-cast method. A stable dual-wavelength output is obtained at 1562.5 and 1563.4 nm at peak powers of-9.3 and-10.1 dBm, respectively, as well as a signal-to-noise ratio of 28.4 dB and a channel spacing of 0.9 nm. Both lasing wavelengths also have narrow linewidths of between 0.045 and 0.049 nm and show little to no wavelength or power fluctuations over continued testing.     

Complex fiber grating structures fabricated by sequential writing with polarization control

We propose a flexible method for fabricating complex fiber grating structures based on sequential writing for fiber gratings with polarization control of the UV source beam. Pure apodized as well as arbitrary phase-shifted fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) can be fabricated in a single scan. Experimental examples of raised-cos2 apodized and dispersionless FBG filters are given to demonstrate the feasibility of this method.     

改进的荧光光纤温度计系统

提出了完全对称的双光路补偿结构形式——恒温差分法双光路补偿结构，给出了该系统的数学模型，并应用于实际荧光光纤温度计系统，初步的实验测试结果表明系统输出信号与被测温度呈现很好的线性关系。     

Tunable fiber gratings fabricated in photonic crystal fiber by use of mechanical pressure

The mode-coupling properties of tunable long-period fiber gratings (LPGs) formed in photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) are presented. The mode coupling from the fundamental core mode to a cladding mode of a PCF is obtained by use of periodic mechanical pressure. The strength and the wavelength of the resonant peak are tuned by adjusting the grating period and the pressure applied on the PCF. Contrary to the conventional fiber case, the resonant wavelength of the PCF LPG is decreased by increasing the periodicity.     

Bismuth-doped germanate glass fiber fabricated by the rod-in-tube technique

Bismuth(Bi)-doped laser glasses and fiber devices have aroused wide attentions due to their unique potential to work in the new spectral range of 1 to 1.8 μm traditional laser ions, such as rare earth, cannot reach. Current Bi-doped silica glass fibers have to be made by modified chemical vapor deposition at a temperature higher than2000°C. This unavoidably leads to the tremendous loss of Bi by evaporation, since the temperature is several hundred degrees Celsius higher than the Bi boiling temperature, and, therefore, trace Bi(～50 ppm) resides within the final product of silica fiber. So, the gain of such fiber is usually extremely low. One of the solutions is to make the fibers at a temperature much lower than the boiling temperature of Bi. The challenge for this is to find a lower melting point glass, which can stabilize Bi in the near infrared emission center and, meanwhile, does not lose glass transparency during fiber fabrication. None of previously reported Bi-doped multicomponent glasses can meet the prerequisite. Here, we, after hundreds of trials on optimization over glass components,activator content, melting temperature, etc., find a novel Bi-doped gallogermanate glass, which shows good tolerance to thermal impact and can accommodate a higher content of Bi. Consequently, we successfully manufacture the germanate fiber by a rod-in-tube technique at 850°C. The fiber exhibits similar luminescence to the bulk glass, and it shows saturated absorption at 808 nm rather than 980 nm as the incident power becomes higher than 4 W. Amplified spontaneous emissions are observed upon the pumps of either 980 or 1064 nm from germanate fiber.     

飞秒激光作用下的硅表面微结构及发光特性

采用近红外飞秒激光辐照浸泡在硫酸溶液中的N型单晶硅片,激光波长800 nm,脉宽200 fs,重频1 kHz,平均功率为100 mW,而硫酸溶液的质量分数分别选择为0.1%和1%。辐照后硅表面呈直径为5~8 mm,高度15 mm的柱型结构。分析其荧光特性,并通过比较硅材料表面微结构与激光光源、扫描参数、硅片背景环境的关系,确定最佳辐照条件为激光扫描速度750 mm/s,扫描间距5 mm/s。最终在厚度0.5 mm、直径26 mm的硅片上获得10 mm×10 mm的方形扫描区域,荧光光谱显示激光扫描后的区域在700 nm附近有很强的荧光发射。分析结果表明飞秒激光扫描改变了样品的表面微结构尺寸,增大了吸收面积,扩展了荧光激发波长,有效提高了样品的吸收效率和荧光发光相对强度(超过扫描前发光相对强度的2倍),荧光发射谱的变化是由量子限制效应和表面态模型共同作用的结果。     

飞秒激光作用下的硅表面微结构及发光特性

 采用近红外飞秒激光辐照浸泡在硫酸溶液中的N型单晶硅片,激光波长800 nm,脉宽200 fs,重频1 kHz,平均功率为100 mW,而硫酸溶液的质量分数分别选择为0.1%和1%。辐照后硅表面呈直径为5~8 mm,高度15 mm的柱型结构。分析其荧光特性,并通过比较硅材料表面微结构与激光光源、扫描参数、硅片背景环境的关系,确定最佳辐照条件为激光扫描速度750 mm/s,扫描间距5 mm/s。最终在厚度0.5 mm、直径26 mm的硅片上获得10 mm×10 mm的方形扫描区域,荧光光谱显示激光扫描后的区域在700 nm附近有很强的荧光发射。分析结果表明飞秒激光扫描改变了样品的表面微结构尺寸,增大了吸收面积,扩展了荧光激发波长,有效提高了样品的吸收效率和荧光发光相对强度(超过扫描前发光相对强度的2倍),荧光发射谱的变化是由量子限制效应和表面态模型共同作用的结果。     

Apodised fiber Bragg gratings fabricated with a uniform phase mask using Gaussian beam laser

A new exposure scheme for fabricating apodised fiber Bragg gratings by the use of a uniform phase mask and a Gaussian beam laser is demonstrated. Average refractive index is kept nearly constant along the grating to derive a side lobe suppression of 20 dB in the shorter wavelength. This scheme allows the writing of truly apodized fiber Bragg gratings.     

Action potential-induced fluorescence changes resolved with an optical fiber carrying excitation light

With the use of a single, implantable, optical fiber, to excite fluorescence and detect changes from voltage-sensitive dyes, transmembrane potential changes were measured without the need for a clear line-of-sight path between the excitation light, the tissue, and the detector. In a previous study, we were required to use signal averaging and could detect only cardiac action potentials from frog. In the present study we improved this system so that unaveraged cardiac action potentials were resolved with high fidelity, and action potentials from single nerve axons were detected. Endeavors to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio resulted in the selection of a larger core fiber with a rounded tip, styryl dyes, and filters based upon fluorescence spectra of the dyes when bound to membrane (rather than in solution). The frog gave signals nearly comparable in magnitude and signal-to-noise ratio to those seen with systems that use a fluorescence microscope. Action potential-induced signals could be detected in single lobster axons with the intracellular injection of a dye. The improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio allowed the use of a reduced-intensity excitation illumination which produced less bleaching of the dye.     

Liquid refractive index sensor with three-cascaded microchannels in single-mode fiber fabricated by femtosecond laser-induced water breakdown

Liquid refractive index sensor with three-cascaded microchannels in single-mode fiber was fabricated by femtosecond laser-induced water breakdown. When the liquid is filled in three microchannels across the fiber core, the transmission spectrum of the sensor shows interference peaks. The refractive index of liquid can be sensed accurately based on both the wavelength shift and loss change of interference peaks. The refractive index sensitivities of wavelength shift and loss change reach to as high as ?2,406.1 nm/RIU and ?156.8 dB/RIU, respectively. The sensor is insensitive to the refractive index change of liquid caused by environmental temperature. It can be used for liquid refractive index sensing with high sensitivity, especially for water pollution monitoring.     

Long-period fiber gratings fabricated with a CO2 laser beam and phase mask

A new holographic technique is proposed for fabricating long-period fiber gratings (LPGs) using a CO₂-laser and a phase mask. A CO₂ laser operating at 10.6 μm is incident normally on the phase mask and the diffracted interfering beams imprint a thermally induced periodic modulation into the cladding of the fiber placed behind the mask. Preliminary results of this technique are presented and discussed. An unusual self-tapered fiber LPG (STFLPG) is also presented.     

Potential of two-photon-excited fluorescence for distributed fiber sensing

The design and operating parameters of a new class of continuously distributed optical fiber sensor are described. By use of counterpropagating pulses, two-photon excitation of fluorescence from ions doped into the fiber enables any position to be monitored. By this means temperature and also strain may be sensed with high spatial and temporal resolution. As the doped fiber is transparent for single-photon absorption at the wavelength of the light pulses, attenuation does not set an upper limit to its length.     

Diffractive beam splitting microlens for fiber coupling fabricated by UV imprinting process

A polymeric diffractive microlens (DML) for coupling the incident light to two individually plastic optical fibers was designed and fabricated by imprinting process. The DML pattern of this dual-focal-point DML was designed with an optimal rotation-angle and realized by template fabrication and UV imprinting. Tetraethoxysilane oxide etching was developed and employed in the template fabrication process to minimize the related processing errors such as misalignment and dimension accuracy. A modified imprinting process is proposed in the experiment; DML with flexible polyethylene terphthalate substrate was imprinted by roller. After curing and demolding, the DML structure was successfully duplicated on polyethylene terphthalate substrate. The prototype was inspected and to confirm the optical properties and the results showed that the diffraction efficiency is 51% (designed value is 57%) and the uniformity error is only 1.5%.     

Optical fiber refractometers based on indium tin oxide coatings fabricated by sputtering

This Letter presents the fabrication of optical fiber refractometers based on indium tin oxide (ITO) coatings deposited by sputtering with response in the visible region. ITO thin films have been sputtered by means of a rotating mechanism that enables the fabrication of smooth and homogeneous coatings onto the optical fiber core. The ITO coating acts as a resonance supporting layer. This permits us to couple light from the waveguide to the ITO-coating/external medium region at specific wavelength ranges. The device is sensitive to external medium refractive index, which allows its utilization as a refractometer. The sensitivity is dependent on the coating thickness, ranging from 523.21 to 1221 nm/refractive index unit in the explored sensors. The sensor development process is time effective compared to other techniques such as dip coating or layer-by-layer self-assembly, which is interesting in terms of mass production.     

800 nm飞秒激光长周期光纤光栅的特性

利用800 nm飞秒激光脉冲作为光源,在标准通信单模光纤上直接刻写周期分别为100,200,300和400 m的长周期光纤光栅(LPFG),得到波长范围为1 280～1 680 nm的透射谱,分析研究了在不同刻写条件下LPFG透射谱的共振波长、透射深度和插入损耗等参数的变化。通过对比分析发现透射衰减与刻写长度、条数以及平台高度等有着一定的对应关系。优化实验参数制作出共振波长分别约为1 407,1 311,1 669,1 551 nm,透射深度分别约为24.0,22.3,27.8,23.4 dB,插入损耗分别约为2.5,1.7,3.2,2.0 dB的LPFG。     

Miniature in-line photonic crystal fiber etalon fabricated by 157 nm laser micromachining

A miniature in-line fiber-optic Fabry-Perot etalon is fabricated on a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) by using 157 nm laser micromachining for the first time to our knowledge. Experimental results show that such a PCF-based etalon has an excellent fringe visibility of up to approximately 26 dB due to the mirror-finish quality of the two cavity surfaces inside the PCF. This etalon can be used as an ideal sensor for precise strain measurement under high temperature of up to 800 degrees C. It can also offer some other outstanding advantages, such as fast and easy fabrication, high reproducibility, capacity of mass production, low cost, low temperature-strain cross-sensitivity, and high signal-to-noise ratio.