Fiber-optic ring-down spectroscopy using a tunable picosecond gain-switched diode laser

Visible and near-infrared laser light pulses were coupled into two different types of optical fiber cavities. One cavity consisted of a short strand of fiber waveguide that contained two identical fiber Bragg gratings. Another cavity was made using a loop of optical fiber. In either cavity ∼40 ps laser pulses, which were generated using a custom-built gain-switched diode laser, circulated for a large number of round trips. The optical loss of either cavity was determined from the ring-down times. Cavity ring-down spectroscopy was performed on 200 pL volumes of liquid samples that were injected into the cavities using a 100 μm gap in the fiber loop. A detection limit of 20 ppm of methylene blue dye in aqueous solution, corresponding to a minimum absorptivity of εC<6 cm^-1, was realized. PACS 42.62.Fi; 42.81.-i     

Cavity-enhanced spectroscopy in fiber cavities

We discuss the relative merits of passive and active fiber cavities for ring-down. Ring-down times of approximately 2 micros were recently demonstrated in passive cavities, but operation is restricted to weak evanescent wave interaction. We report on active cavities with amplifiers used for loss compensation, permitting the use of open-path micro-optic cells. Ring-down times of tens of microseconds can readily be achieved and extended to several hundred microseconds in gain-clamped cavities, but relaxation oscillations and system drift impose limits on accuracy and repeatability. A cavity enhancement of 2 orders of magnitude is realistically possible, and sensitivity may be further enhanced if ring-down is combined with established spectroscopic methods.     

Single-longitudinal-mode erbium-doped fiber laser with the fiber-Bragg-grating-based asymmetric two-cavity structure

We present a simple and stable single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) erbium-doped fiber linear-type laser. It consists of three FBGs directly written in a photosensitive erbium-doped fiber (PEDF) to form asymmetric two cavities with different cavity lengths, which can effectively increase the longitudinal mode spacing and suppress mode hopping, experimentally compared with symmetric two cavities and single-cavity structures. The stable SLM operation is conveniently achieved without accurate control of cavity length, and the laser linewidth of less than 5 kHz is acquired.     

THz optical pulses from a coupled-cavity quantum-dot laser

Optical pulses are generated from a coupled-cavity quantum-dot (QD) laser consisting of a short QD-waveguide Fabry–Perot (F–P) cavity and three long external fiber Bragg grating (FBG) cavities. When the laser is biased at low operation current, the feedback from the external cavities dominates and laser pulses have a 1.01 THz repetition rate, determined by the equal frequency difference of the three FBGs. We are thus able to decouple the repetition rate of a mode-locked laser from the cavity length. With much higher bias current, the QD F–P cavity dominates and the repetition rate is switched to 43.8 GHz, defined by the length of the F–P cavity.     

Investigation on an evanescent wave fiber-optic absorption sensor based on fiber loop cavity ring-down spectroscopy

An improved ring-down measurement principle for optical waveguides is presented. Fiber loop ring-down spectroscopy allows for measurement of minute optical losses in high-finesse fiber-optic cavities and immunity to the fluctuation of laser source. The evanescent wave absorption losses dependent on the absorption and the refractive index of ambient solution have been theoretically analyzed. The complex refractive index is introduced into our model and extinction coefficient can be calculated accurately through finite element analysis by setting the boundaries of the fiber and the ambient conditions. Using this method, the refractive index of environment can be taken into consideration. Our principle is validated by the highly-sensitive measurement of evanescent wave absorption loss. By chemically processing the surface of sensing segment along an extending ring-down cavity, the concentration of small volume Diethyl Sulphoxide solution where the etched fiber immersed into has been successfully measured and discussed.     

Continuous-wave fiber cavity ring-down measurements using frequency-shifted interferometry

We present a spatial-domain fiber cavity ring-down (CRD) technique that does not require optical pulses for time-resolved detection. Instead of measuring the intensity decay rate of an optical pulse in the time domain as in conventional CRD experiments, we measure the decay rate of a CW signal in a ring-down cavity (RDC) using frequency-shifted interferometry in the spatial domain, as a function of distance traveled by the light. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we measured fiber bend loss in a loop RDC using this technique, and a cavity loss change as low as 0.0135 dB induced by every fiber turn on a mandrel was unambiguously discerned.     

Double-ring cavity configuration of actively mode-locked multi-wavelength fiber laser with equally tunable wavelength spacing

A novel actively mode-locked multi-wavelength tunable fiber laser with equally increased or decreased wavelength spacing is presented. It is constructed using a double-ring cavity combined with an amplitude modulator and cascaded fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The cavity lengths for all FBGs are intrinsically identical due to the double-ring configuration, and simultaneous mode locking of multiple wavelengths is therefore achieved by applying only one mode-locking signal to the modulator. The FBGs are mounted on a organic plate with angles between adjacent gratings such that the forces applied to the FBGs have an equal force increment; thus, stretching or compressing the cascaded FBGs can achieve a wavelength tuning with equally increased or decreased wavelength spacing.This revised version was published online in March 2005. In the previous version, the published online date was missing     

Measurement of multi-exponential optical decay processes by?phase-shift cavity ring-down

Multi-exponential decay waveforms are common occurrences in cavity ring-down spectroscopy and the respective ring-down times are typically obtained by fitting the ring-down waveform to the sum of exponential decay functions. In phase-shift cavity ring-down (CRD) spectroscopy the measurement of a single phase angle will not provide sufficient information and needs to be complemented by either intensity measurements or phase angle measurements at different modulation frequencies. Here, a formalism analogous to that developed for fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy is adapted to the phase-shift CRD technique and is tested for two types of waveguide CRD systems: (1) a single-mode fiber cavity in which light is confined by two identical Fiber Bragg Gratings and (2) a multimode fiber loop. By measuring the phase angle at different modulation frequencies, lifetimes for up to three different decay processes were obtained.     

Tunable fiber Bragg gratings for application in tunable fiber lasers

The resonance wavelength of the fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) is tuned using two methods. Tunable FBGs are used as the selecting elements in the cavities of tunable lasers. An ytterbium-doped fiber laser with a wavelength tuning range of 1063–1108 nm and an output power of 6 W, a Raman fiber laser with a wavelength tuning range of 1252–1303 nm and an output power of 3 W, and an erbium-doped fiber laser with a wavelength tuning range of 1530–1580 nm are realized, and their characteristics are studied.     

用于单频光纤激光器的光纤光栅双腔Fabry-Perot结构传输谱特性理论研究

分析了基于光纤光栅的全光纤型双腔Fabry-Perot(F-P)结构传输谱特性. 理论推出了两腔F-P结构传输率具体计算公式,给出在光栅中心波长处产生单谐振传输峰时,腔长与组成光栅反射率各需满足的条件. 基于理论分析结果,分两部分数值模拟了对称及非对称两腔F-P结构传输谱,讨论了计算结果并给出定性的解释,总结了腔长及光栅长度、折射率调制深度的设计原则. 结论表明,当单腔F-P结构腔长增大到阻带内出现多个谐振峰时,通过合理选取两腔结构的腔长及光栅参数,双腔F-P结构能够在整体长度不变条件下,抑制中心波长两侧的次谐振峰,而中心波长处的主谐振峰不受影响. 关键词： 光纤光栅 Fabry-Perot结构 光纤激光器     

Theoretical investigation into spectral characteristics of a semiconductor laser with dual-FBG external cavity

A new theoretical model of the dual-FBG external cavity based on the couple-mode theory has been proposed for controlling the output spectral characteristics of the semiconductor laser with dual-FBG external cavity. The output spectral characteristics have been studied through the analyses of the external cavity length, the FBG length and the fiber length between the two FBGs. The results reveal that the side mode suppression ratio (SMSR), the full wave at half maximum (FWHM), the longitudinal mode interval (LMI) and the stability of the central wavelength are mainly determined by the effective external transmissivity, the fiber length between the two FBGs and the external cavity length, respectively. Furthermore, the rising/falling tendencies of the SMSR and the FWHM are exactly opposite. There exist the maximum of the SMSR and the minimum of the FWHM in a semiconductor laser with dual-FBG external cavity. The increase of the fiber length between the two FBGs results in the exponential decrease of the LMI. The increase of the external cavity length leads to the better stability of the central wavelength.     

光纤腔衰荡光谱技术及其最新进展

阐述了腔衰荡光谱技术的基本原理及应用;从结构设计的角度考虑,归纳出光纤衰荡腔的三种基本结构,并对光纤腔衰荡光谱技术及其最新进展进行了评述;报道了我们采用脉冲光纤环衰荡光谱技术进行液体检测取得的最新进展;在总结光纤腔衰荡光谱技术优点的基础上,展望了其发展前景.     

光纤腔衰荡光谱技术及其最新进展

阐述了腔衰荡光谱技术的基本原理及应用;从结构设计的角度考虑,归纳出光纤衰荡腔的三种基本结构,并对光纤腔衰荡光谱技术及其最新进展进行了评述;报道了我们采用脉冲光纤环衰荡光谱技术进行液体检测取得的最新进展;在总结光纤腔衰荡光谱技术优点的基础上,展望了其发展前景。     

光腔衰荡法数据截取对时间常数测量精度的影响分析

光腔衰荡方法是目前测量光学元件超高反射率(反射率>99.9%)的唯一方法。介绍了一种对光腔衰荡法中激光信号强度与时间关系的优化提取方法。设计了基于光腔衰荡法的光学元件超高反射比的测试系统,通过对采集的光腔衰荡曲线数据进行分段指数拟合,将光腔衰荡曲线数据分为5段,对每段指数拟合结果对应的R² (R-square)和RMSE(root mean squared error)值进行对比分析,计算每段指数拟合的衰荡时间。实验结果表明:截取光腔衰荡曲线数据40%～60%部分拟合得到的结果最接近真实值,求得对应的腔镜的反射率为99.988 977%。最后通过与腔镜的自身反射率进行比较,表明该种数据拟合方法能有效地测量腔镜的反射率,并能减小实验数据本身带来的误差。     

All-fiber actively Q-switched fiber laser tuned by a pair of temperature controlled fiber Bragg gratings

We report an all-fiber actively Q-switched erbium-doped fiber laser, where the linear laser cavity mirrors are composed of two fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The laser oscillation wavelength could be tuned by this pair of temperature controlled FBGs. The Q-switching is achieved by an all-fiber phase modulation device. Using this system, we could obtain stable Q-switched laser pulses output, which could be optimized by tuning the reflection wavelengths of the two FBGs to be adjacent to each other. Instead of being modulated by the FBG filter in high-speed oscillation, this fiber laser system is operating in the Q-switched regime using an all-fiber phase modulator, producing a more stable laser output spectrum.     

Highly photosensitive Sb/Er/Ge-codoped silica fiber for writing fiber Bragg gratings with strong high-temperature sustainability

A highly photosensitive Sb/Er/Ge-codoped silica fiber for fabricating fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) with strong high-temperature sustainability is presented. The photosensitivity and the high-temperature sustainability of FBGs created in this fiber are examined and compared with those produced in a Sn-doped silica fiber. The results show that the Sb/Er/Ge fiber has a much higher level of photosensitivity than the Sn-doped silica fiber and that the FBGs have a similar high-temperature sustainability of 800 degrees C. The strong fluorescence properties observed from this fiber are also examined.     

Semiconductor optical amplifier-based laser with 25 km long cavity length utilizing sagnac fiber ring structure

In the investigation, we propose and demonstrate a Sagnac ring based fiber laser structure using a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) to act as a gain medium with short to long fiber cavity lengths for wavelength lasing and tuning. Here, ten fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) with different reflected Bragg wave-lengths are used serving as the reflected element in the proposed laser configuration for wavelength lasing and remote sensing simultaneously. Furthermore, the different cavity fiber lengths of a few ten m to 25 km, which are used in the proposed laser scheme, has been analyzed and discussed.     

Optical feedback cavity ring-down technique for accurate measurement of ultra-high reflectivity

A novel cavity ring-down (CRD) technique, based on the optical feedback effect of Fabry–Perot diode lasers, is developed for accurate reflectivity measurement of highly reflective cavity mirrors. The strong optical feedback, including the direct reflection from the front cavity mirror of a linear ring-down cavity, is re-injected into the oscillator cavity of the diode laser, and large resonant peaks are observed in the ring-down cavity output signals. The diode laser is switched off by a threshold circuit when the amplitude of a resonant peak exceeds a pre-defined threshold. Exponentially decayed signals recorded immediately after switching off the laser are used to determine the cavity decay time. The ultra-high reflectivity of cavity mirrors is measured to be 99.99606% with a reproducibility of 0.00003%. Compared with the previous phase-shift CRD technique, the signal-to-noise ratio of the cavity output signals is improved with an enhancement factor of over 100.     

Frequency-stabilized cavity ring-down spectrometer for high-sensitivity measurements of water vapor concentration

We present a portable spectrometer that uses the frequency-stabilized cavity ring-down spectroscopy technique capable of high-precision measurements of trace water vapor concentration. Measuring one of the strongest rovibrational transitions in the ν₁+ν₃ water vapor combination band near ˜ν=7181.156 cm^-1, we compare spectroscopic and thermodynamic determinations of trace water vapor in N₂, and find systematic differences attributable to water vapor background effects and/or uncertainties in line intensities. We also compare the frequency-stabilized ring-down method with other cavity ring-down approaches that are based on unstabilized probe lasers and unstabilized ring-down cavities. We show that for the determination of water vapor concentration, the frequency-stabilized cavity ring-down method has the minimum measurement uncertainty of these techniques. The minimum noise-equivalent absorption coefficient of the spectrometer was 1.2×10^-10 cm^-1 Hz^-1/2, which further corresponds to a minimum detectable water vapor mole fraction equal to 0.7×10^-9 for an absorption spectrum of 10 minutes duration. PACS 33.20.-t; 33.70.Jg; 33.70.Fd; 42.62.Fi     

Quasi-distributed fiber Bragg grating sensor system based on a Fourier domain mode locking fiber laser

A novel quasi-distributed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system based on Fourier domain mode locking (FDML) fiber laser is proposed and demonstrated. The low reflectivity FBGs with the same Bragg wavelength are connected cascaded in a long fiber working as the sensing elements of the sensor system as well as the wavelength and cavity length selecting elements of the FDML laser. By adjusting the driving frequency of the FDML fiber laser, lasing with different selected cavity lengths will be achieved correspondingly. When the wavelength of the working FBG shifts which includes the sensing information, FBG interrogation can be realized both in wavelength and time domain.