A novel integrated MEMS helix antenna for terahertz applications

This paper reports the design and analysis of a novel helix antenna based on Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, which is used in terahertz (THz) applications. The structure of the antenna includes two parts, the metallic helix and the coplanar waveguide (CPW) on the substrate for feed, the fabrication of the structure needs only one wafer, and the antenna can be easily integrated with other parts of on-chip circuits. There are many tunable parameters of the helix, so that high performance THz antenna can be achieved by optimizing these parameters. The proposed antenna can be manufactured by MEMS processing with low fabrication cost, suitable for many terahertz systems.     

Three-dimensional FDTD method for optical pulse propagation analysis in microstructured optical fibers

We propose a three-dimensional (3D) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to analyze the pulse propagation characteristics in microstructured optical fibers (MOFs). The computation domain size is greatly reduced by adopting the technique of moving problem space. The propagating pulse is virtually held in the buffer cell of the problem space as simulation continues. This method is capable to investigate the temporal evolution of the propagating pulse. Spectral information can be obtained by Fourier analysis. As an example, the influence of the kerr nonlinearity on the optical pulse propagation in a Lorentz dispersive MOF is demonstrated. The model is also used to simulate the nonlinear interactions between the pump spectral broadening and third harmonic generations in a highly nonlinear fused silica nanowire with good agreement with the generalized nonlinear envelop equation (GNEE) model.     

Enhanced compression of femtosecond pulse in hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers

Compression of chirped free femtosecond pulses in hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers is investigated numerically. The results show that intrapulse stimulated Raman scattering can improve the quality of the compressed pulse. Positive third-order dispersion is the main limitation on the compression of the femtosecond pulse. However, the combined effect of the intrapulse stimulated Raman scattering and the negative third-order dispersion can form still shorter pulses than is possible with intrapulse stimulated Raman scattering alone. We also investigate the influence of width and peak power of input pulse on pulse compression.     

Effects of gain saturation on terahertz radiation via optical difference frequency generation

Numerical studies on stability of terahertz (THz) radiation generation based on difference frequency generation in nonlinear crystals are reported. When the gain saturation is achieved at a wavelength that corresponds to an optimal crystal length, the maximal output of THz radiation could be obtained. As a result of crystal absorption, the gain saturation region of THz radiation is unstable region for output. The stability of THz radiation is determined by the stability of pump in the stable region where behind of the gain saturation.     

Kagome结构空芯光子晶体光纤纤芯参数对传输特性的影响

应用全矢量有限元方法,研究大间距Kagome结构空芯光子晶体光纤中纤芯的大小、形状与壁厚对光纤传输损耗谱的影响。结果表明,某些纤芯尺寸会造成包层中的结构缺陷,易使纤芯基模、表面模及包层模之间发生能量耦合,产生较大损耗。而纤芯形状与壁厚的改变会引起表面模式的变化,从而影响发生在基模与表面模之间反向耦合的位置和强度,使光纤传输频带变窄和损耗变大。据此,提出Kagome结构光纤的纤芯设计思路,即纤芯的大小应使包层保持完整的微结构,纤芯形状应与包层中的单元微结构相楔合,纤芯壁厚应与包层中玻璃支柱的宽度相同。     

基于正方形格子的空芯光子带隙光纤的模式特性和泄漏损耗

利用全矢量有限元法计算和分析了基于正方形格子的空芯光子带隙光纤的模式特性和泄漏损耗.通过分析发现,圆正方形空气孔按正方形格子排列的空芯光子带隙光纤可以实现宽带和有效的单模运转.随后对正方形格子空芯光子带隙光纤的泄漏损耗进行了全面分析,通过分析发现纤芯直径和包层空气孔间距的变化对泄漏损耗的影响较小,但可以通过调节包层空气孔间距来实现给定的波长具有最小的泄露损耗;圆化直径对泄漏损耗的影响较前两个因素要大,且存在一个最佳的圆化直径即d_c/d=0.4;包层空气孔的 关键词： 空芯光子带隙光纤 全矢量有限元法 正方形格子 泄露损耗     

光在激活光纤中的传输

本文推导了连续光及宽脉冲在激活光纤中的运动方程,采用激活物质极化的量子理论,在零级近似及一级近似情况下,对其运动方程进行了求解,并讨论了激活物质对脉冲群速度的影响,定量地描述了连续光及宽脉冲的振幅与位相及群速度在激活光纤中的变化行为。     

Variational analysis of propagation characteristics in thermally diffused expanded core fibers

We present a scalar variational method for the analysis of light-propagation characteristics in thermally diffused expanded core (TEC) fibers. The method leads to simple closed-form expressions regarding the mode field diameter, numerical aperture, waveguide dispersion as well as coupling losses produced by radial, longitudinal and angular misalignments. The dependence of coupling losses on the ‘taper ratio’ and normalized frequency is investigated and previous predictions that TEC fibers transmit light more effectively in free space over the order of millimeters, is confirmed. The coupling losses between small core diameter step-index fibers typically used in most erbium-doped fiber amplifiers and TEC-fibers is also considered.     

Supercontinuum generation in the irregular point of hollow-core photonic crystal fiber

Broadband supercontinuums (SC) are generated by soliton self-frequency shift (SSFS) of hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) in our laboratory. With the pump works at 810 nm when the pump power increase from 400 to 600 mW, the Raman Soliton shifts from 2089 to 2215 nm, the bandwidth of SC increases from 2213 to 2320 nm. The ultra-violet part of SC is below 180 nm, and the mid-infrared part of SC exceeds 2500 nm. Moreover, the influence of pump power on SC is also analyzed.     

基于超材料的偏振不敏感太赫兹宽带吸波体设计

本文设计了一种基于超材料的偏振不敏感太赫兹宽带吸波体.吸波体包含两层金属和一层中间介质,表面金属层每一个周期单元由五种尺寸接近的金属块按照相邻不同的规律排列成5×5的方形阵列.各种尺寸金属块分别产生单峰谐振吸收,五个谐振吸收峰相互靠近从而产生宽带吸收.通过研究吸波体表面电流和电场z分量分布情况可知,入射太赫兹能量的吸收主要是由y方向上电场引起的电偶极子振荡和z方向上磁场引起的磁极化产生,而且金属层的欧姆损耗起主要作用.仿真结果表明,吸波体吸收率在80%以上的带宽约为1.2 THz,最高吸收率可达98.7%,半峰全宽(FWHM)为1.6 THz,该宽带吸波体的厚度约为中心波长的二十分之一,对偏振方向不敏感,且能实现大角度吸收,在太赫兹频段的电磁隐身、测辐射热探测器以及宽带通信等领域有潜在的应用价值.     

Mechanically tunable metamaterials terahertz dual-band bandstop filter

We experimentally demonstrate a mechanically tunable metamaterials terahertz(THz) dual-band bandstop filter. The unit cell of the filter contains an inner aluminum circle and an outside aluminum Ohm-ring on high resistance silicon substrate. The performance of the filter is simulated by finite-integration-time-domain(FITD) method. The sample is fabricated using a surface micromachining process and experimentally demonstrated using a THz time-domain-spectroscopy(TDS) system. The results show that, when the incident THz wave is polarized in y-axis, the filter has two intensive absorption peaks locating at 0.71 THz and 1.13 THz, respectively. The position of the high-frequency absorption peak and the amplitude of the low-frequency absorption peak can be simultaneously tuned by rotating the sample along its normal axis.The tunability of the high-frequency absorption peak is due to the shift of resonance frequency of two electrical dipoles,and that of the low-frequency absorption peak results from the effect of rotationally induced transparent. This tunable filter is very useful for switch, manipulation, and frequency selective detection of THz beam.     

A rigorous analysis of the power distribution in plastic clad annular core optical fibers

Using Maxwell's field equations, an analytical investigation is presented of the relative power distributions in the different sections of a step-index plastic clad annular core optical fiber (ACF) operating in the infrared region of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. It is assumed that the fiber cross-section is made of two concentric circles, and the EM waves propagate through the annular region. The chosen fiber materials are widely used in low cost optical links. The wave equations are solved in the different sections of the fiber, and the general expressions for power in the core and the cladding regions are finally deduced. Plots are shown of the variation of fractional power (or the power confinement factor) in all the fiber sections against the propagation constants of sustained modes. The cases of three lowest azimuthal modal indices (i.e. meridional as well as skew modes) are described. It is observed that the confinement of power in the core section is increased for ACFs of larger cross-sectional dimensions. Also, a fairly uniform distribution of power over the sustained modes remains for large sized fibers, and this uniformity is greatly affected in ACFs of smaller dimensions. It is suggested that, because of strong evanescent fields, ACFs can be of potential use in chemical sensing. Apart from this, it is also presumed that these may be useful in the areas of communications. The improved mechanical strength adds the potentiality of ACFs.     

Diffusion and propagation in triangular Lorentz lattice gas cellular automata

The diffusion process of point particles moving on regular triangular and random lattices, randomly occupied with stationary scatterers (a Lorentz lattice gas cellular automaton), is studied, for strictly deterministic scattering rules, as a function of the concentration of the scatterers. In addition to the normal and various kinds of retarded diffusion found before on the regular square lattice, straight-line propagation through the scatterers is observed.     

Spatiotemporal propagation dynamics of intense optical pulses in loosely confined gas-filled hollow-core fibers

We numerically study the propagation dynamics of intense optical pulses in gas-filled hollow-core fibers(HCFs). The spatiotemporal dynamics of the pulses show a transition from tightly confined to loosely confined characteristics as the fiber core is increased, which manifests as a deterioration in the spatiotemporal uniformity of the beam. It is found that using the gas pressure gradient does not enhance the beam quality in large-core HCFs, while inducing a positive chirp in the pulse to lower the peak power can improve the beam quality. This indicates that the self-focusing effect in the HCFs is the main driving force for the propagation dynamics. It also suggests that pulses at longer wavelengths are more suitable for HCFs with large cores because of the lower critical power of self-focusing, which is justified by the numerical simulations. These results will benefit the generation of energetic few-cycle pulses in large-core HCFs.     

Switchable terahertz polarization converter based on VO2 metamaterial

A switchable terahertz (THz) polarization converter based on vanadium dioxide (VO₂) metamaterial is proposed. It is a 5-layer structure which containing metal split-ring-resonator (SRR), the first polyimide (PI) spacer, VO₂ film, the second PI spacer, and metal grating. It is an array structure and the period in x and y directions is 100 μm. The performance is simulated by using finite integration technology. The simulation results show that, when the VO₂ is in insulating state, the device is a transmission polarization converter. The cross-linear polarization conversion can be realized in a broadband of 0.70 THz, and the polarization conversion rate (PCR) is higher than 99%. Under thermal stimulus, the VO₂ changes from insulating state to metallic state, and the device is a reflective polarization converter. The linear-to-circular polarization conversion can be successfully realized in a broadband of 0.50 THz, and the PCR is higher than 88%.     

Tunable properties of light propagation in photonic liquid crystal fibers

Tunable properties of light propagation in photonic crystal fibers filled with liquid crystals, called photonic liquid crystal fibers (PLCFs) are presented. The propagation properties of PLCFs strongly depend on contrast between refractive indices of the solid core (pure silica glass) and liquid crystals (LCs) filing the holes of the fiber. Due to relatively strong thermo-optical effect, we can change the refractive index of the LC by changing its temperature. Numerical analysis of light propagation in PLCF, based on two simulation methods, such as finite difference (FD) and multipole method (MM) is presented. The numerical results obtained are in good agreement with our earlier experimental results presented elsewhere [1].     

Temperature distribution along oversized hollow-core waveguides for CO2 laser radiation

Temperature distributions along various hollow waveguides are fully analysed experimentally when the waveguides are excited by CO₂ laser light. It is shown that the temperature decreases in an oscillatory manner along the waveguides due to the interference effect of guided modes. The distributors are well explained by a theory developed previously.     

Light propagation in highly birefringent photonic liquid crystal fibers

Photonic liquid crystal fibers have already been demonstrated as a promising perspective for creation of new classes of dynamically tunable optical fiber devices. By combining different geometries of photonic crystal fibers with a variety of different liquid crystals it is possible to obtain a new generation of fibers with dynamically tunable properties, e.g., transmission spectra, attenuation or dispersion. In this paper, tunable birefringence in a commercially available highly birefringent Blazephotonics PM-1550-01 photonic crystal fiber selectively filled with a low birefringence liquid crystal has been experimentally demonstrated. Theses experimental results have been compared with simulations based on the multipole method.     

Band structure of photonic crystal fibers with silica rings in triangular lattice

The characteristics of the cladding band structure of air-core photonic crystal fibers with silica rings in triangular lattice are investigated by using a standard plane wave method. The numerical results show that light can be localized in the air core by the photonic band gaps of the fiber. By increasing the air-filling fraction, the band gap edges of the low frequency photonic band gaps shift to shorter wavelength, whereas the band gap width decreases linearly. In order to make a specified light fall in the low frequency band gaps of the fiber, the interplay of the silica ring spacing and the air-filling fraction is also analyzed. It shows that the silica ring spacing increases monotonously when the air-filling fraction is increased, and the spacing range increases exponentially. This type fiber might have potential in infrared light transmission.     

周期极化铌酸锂THz波产生理论分析

首先采用光参量振荡的机理研究了THz波在准相位匹配媒质周期极化铌酸锂晶体中同向传播与反向传播情况下,以及THz波从晶体表面辐射产生的特性;其次研究了THz波的温度调谐特性、极化反转光栅周期调谐以及改变入射泵浦光与光栅波矢夹角的调谐特性;然后分析了THz波谱宽特性,给出解析表达式,并与实验结果进行了比较,证明理论分析结果与Y.S.Lee等人所给出的实验结果符合很好;最后分析了THz波的稳定性与温度、光栅周期、泵浦入射角以及辐射角的关系.