Combined system of optical coherence tomography and fluorescence spectroscopy based on double-cladding fiber

We report the development of an all-fiber multimodal system, based on a double-cladding fiber (DCF) and related devices, suitable for simultaneous measurements of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescence spectroscopy (FS). The DCF together with a DCF coupler and a single-body DCF lens has assisted in the realization of a multimodal but single-unit probe for the combined system. The DCF lens allowed simultaneous focusing of input beams for OCT and FS and also the effective collection of both signal beams from a sample. The DCF coupler could extract the OCT signal via the core channel and the FS signal through the cladding channel. The OCT image and the fluorescence spectra of a plant tissue were then simultaneously measured to validate the performance of the proposed multimodal system.     

熔锥型宽带耦合器的研制

介绍了全光纤熔融拉锥型3dB宽带耦合器的理论设计，根据理论设计制作了样品。应用耦合模理论分析了全光纤非对称熔融拉锥型耦合器的宽带特性；提出了3dB宽带耦合器的制作方案，在此基础上制作了样品；对样品进行测试，样品带宽大约为300nm(在1300nm～1600nm波长之间)，附加损耗小于0.5dB，完全达到了实用化的要求。     

Optical Coherence Tomography Implemented by Photonic Crystal Fiber

We report a photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, in which conventional single-mode fiber for the transmission line and the fiber coupler for the beam splitter/combiner are replaced with PCF and PCF coupler. The PCF coupler fabricated using the fused biconical tapered (FBT) method showed a nearly flat coupling ratio over a broad spectral bandwidth of 400 nm, which provided an axial resolution of 3-μm for OCT imaging. With a white-light source, the 8-μm thick air gap between two stacked cover glasses was measured, and with a conventional superluminecent diode (SLD) source, the in vitro images of rat eye and Misgurnus mizolepis skin were successfully obtained. The PCF and PCF coupler might enable a white-light as the source for the cost effective and high-resolution OCT system.     

Passive component based multifunctional Jones matrix swept source optical coherence tomography for Doppler and polarization imaging

We present a fiber based multifunctional Jones matrix swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) system for Doppler and polarization imaging. Jones matrix measurement without using active components such as electro-optic modulators is realized by incident polarization multiplexing based on independent delay of two orthogonal polarization states and polarization diversity detection. In addition to polarization sensitivity, this system measures Doppler flow without extra hardware for phase stabilized SS-OCT detection. An eighth-wave plate was measured to demonstrate the polarization detection accuracy. The optic nerve head of a retina was measured in vivo. Detailed vasculature and birefringent structures were investigated simultaneously.     

光纤Mach-Zehnder干涉仪系统

介绍了光纤Mach-Zehnder(MZ)干涉仪系统的结构.给出了光纤Mach-Zehnder干涉仪系统中信号光与参考光的干涉原理以及影响干涉光强的因素.同时也分析了光纤耦合器的交叉耦合,另外也给出了PZT的作用.阐述了光纤偏振控制器的结构、工作原理及其对光纤Mach-Zehnder干涉仪系统传感臂偏振态的控制,最后给出了光纤Mach-Zehnder干涉仪系统的应用.     

100 μm core diameter monolithic fiber side-pumping coupler for 10 mJ 10 ns all-fiber laser

In this paper, we report a monolithic fiber side-pumping coupler that allows for very large mode area double clad fiber designs. This coupler is constituted of a multi-mode pump fiber and a double clad fiber (DCF). The pump power is coupled to the DCF through the side of DCF. The pump coupling peak power of 163.7 W @ 560 ??s with the coupling efficiency of 98.0% is achieved, and the signal coupling energy of 10 mJ @ 10 ns (??1 MW @ 10 ns) with the coupling efficiency of 96.3% is obtained, when the core diameter of the DCF is 100 ??m. Furthermore, this side-pumping coupler is successfully applied to a high peak power pulse all-fiber laser with the output energy of over 10 mJ @ 10 ns.     

Asymmetric dual-side-grating coupler for high power side-pumping

A novel concept for an asymmetric dual-side-grating is proposed and rigorously analyzed for laser-diode (LD) bars side-pumping double-clad fiber (DCF). It consists of a metal reflection grating and a dielectric transmission grating, which are placed behind the upside and downside of DCF, respectively. The concept provides a robust side-pump coupler requiring neither complicated beam-shaping system for LD bars nor any risk of damaging the DCF, and is very tolerant to potential fabrication errors and the variations of the incident angle and wavelength. Up to 94.2% (for TE-polarized) and 93.94% (for TM-polarized) coupling efficiencies are obtained with practical grating structural parameters, which can be realized easily by a commercial EB-lithography system JBX-9300FS of JEOL Ltd.     

Hollow-core tapered coupler for large inner diameter hollow-core optical fibers

A novel hollow-core tapered coupler has been theoretically designed and fabricated by fiber drawingmachine. The coupler's inner wall is coated with a polycrystalline GeO_2 film. The coupling loss ofhollow-core tapered coupler is about 0.2 dB. Hollow-core tapered coupler reduces the transmission loss ofhollow-core optical fiber(HCOF) by 0.5 dB/m, therefore the coupler is suitable for coupling high powerCO_2 laser in industrial application.     

Fabrication of an optical fiber reflective notch coupler

A method of fabricating a reflective notch coupler in an optical fiber has been developed. The coupler consists of a 45° microprism that penetrates into the core of a multimode optical fiber. One face, at 90° to the fiber axis, is nonreflective, and one face, at 45° to the fiber axis, is reflective. Our method of fabricating a notch and selectively mirroring only the 45° face is low-cost, precise, and easily scalable. The coupler allows near-100% coupling of light into an optical fiber from the side, while allowing coupling of any desired fraction of light out from the core at a 90° angle on the opposite side of the fiber.     

All optical method of developing OR and NAND logic system based on nonlinear optical fiber couplers

Logic gates are the fundamental building blocks in any digital data processing system. Several all optical logic operations are already proposed by scientists and technologists. Here the authors proposed a new method of all optical logic operation based on nonlinear directional coupler. Effective optical switching is achieved by modifying the coupling length between the coupler waveguides by means of an optical signal.     

Double-clad photonic crystal fiber coupler for compact nonlinear optical microscopy imaging

A 1 x 2 double-clad photonic crystal fiber coupler is fabricated by the fused tapered method, showing a low excess loss of 1.1 dB and a splitting ratio of 97/3 over the entire visible and near-infrared wavelength range. In addition to the property of splitting the laser power, the double-clad feature of the coupler facilitates the separation of a near-infrared single-mode beam from a visible multimode beam, which is ideal for nonlinear optical microscopy imaging. In conjunction with a gradient-index lens, this coupler is used to construct a miniaturized microscope based on two-photon fluorescence and second-harmonic generation. Three-dimensional nonlinear optical images demonstrate potential applications of the coupler to compact all-fiber and nonlinear optical microscopy and endoscopy.     

Compact two-photon fluorescence microscope based on a single-mode fiber coupler

We present a two-photon fluorescence microscope based on a three-port single-mode optical fiber coupler. It is found that the coupler behaves as a low-pass filter that can deliver an ultrashort-pulsed laser beam of as much as 150 mW of power in the wavelength range from 770 to 870 nm as well as collect a two-photon fluorescence signal in the visible range. As a result of using the fiber coupler, the new two-photon imaging system exhibts a number of advantages, including a compact arrangement, freedom from vibration from lasers and electronic devices, self-alignment, reduction of multiple scattering, and an enhanced optical sectioning effect. The effectiveness of the new instrument is demonstrated with a set of three-dimensional images of biological samples. This instrument may make two-photon fluorescence endoscopy possible for in vivo medical applications.     

A non-fused fiber coupler for side-pumping of double-clad fiber lasers

A non-fused fiber coupler is demonstrated for side-pumping of the double-clad fiber (DCF) lasers by adhesive techniques. The fiber coupler is fabricated by adhering an angularly polished single-clad fiber (SCF) to the inner cladding of the DCF. The pumping light is launched from the SCF by total inner reflection. Coupling coefficient as a function of coupling angle, bend distance, and backward scattering is investigated. The field distribution in DCF is also discussed.     

Simultaneous dual-wavelength-band common-path swept-source optical coherence tomography with single polygon mirror scanner

We report a novel (to the best of our knowledge) simultaneous 1310/1550 two-wavelength band swept laser source and dual-band common-path swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Synchronized dual-wavelength tuning is performed by using two laser cavities and narrowband wavelength filters with a single dual-window polygonal scanner. Measured average output powers of 60 and 27 mW have been achieved for the 1310 and 1550 nm bands, respectively, while the two wavelengths were swept simultaneously from 1227 to 1387 nm for the 1310 nm band and from 1519 to 1581 nm for the 1550 nm band at an A-scan rate of 65 kHz. Broadband wavelength-division multiplexing is used for coupling two wavelengths into a common-path single-mode GRIN-lensed fiber probe to form dual-band common-path SS-OCT. Simultaneous OCT imaging at 1310 and 1550 nm is achieved. This technique allows for in vivo high-speed OCT imaging with potential application in functional (spectroscopic) investigations.     

一种硅基SiO2波导耦合器的设计与分析

波导耦合器是组成光纤传感系统和光纤通信系统光收发组件及模块的重要元器件,是实现光收发模块一体化光电集成的基础。给出了一种用光纤陀螺系统的X型四端口波导耦合器的工作原理,采用有效折射率法和BPM(Beam propagation method)法建立了耦合器的数学模型,计算并分析了耦合器尺寸在尽可能小的情况下和在满足单模传输的条件下耦合器的耦合系数、有效耦合长度、分光比以及回波损耗等参数之间的关系,并对其关键技术进行了系统的研究。仿真结果表明,所设计的波导耦合器在低损耗情况下分光比可达到50%∶50%,耦合器全长为33.5mm,输入输出波导间距为410μm,芯层截面积为6μm×6μm。     

基于达曼光栅的动态光耦合器

提出了一种基于达曼光栅的动态光耦合器,通过控制装置中达曼光栅位移参量,可实现入射光束的分束或合束以及两者之间的动态转换。适当选择达曼光栅类型可实现任意N×M的动态光耦合。实验中以1550 nm光波长为例,对1×8达曼动态光耦合器进行测量,测得其实现光开关功能时插入损耗为0.43 dB,实现光分束功能时均匀性达到0.03,单路插入损耗均值为10.5 dB。该实验装置易于调节、体积小、能耗低,且关键元件达曼光栅制作工艺成熟,易于批量化生产。特别是在实现中大规模光交换阵列时,该方案就具有更明显的优越性,有实用意义。     

Ruggedized multimode star coupler for military applications

The development of a high-performance, ruggedized multimode star coupler intended for use in fiber optic data transmission networks aboard naval surface ships is reported. The coupler was designed to exhibit superior optical performance in terms of both low loss and highly uniform coupling. It was also designed to survive a range of severe environmental and mechanical tests, including impact from a 400-lb hammer dropped from a 5 foot height, and a temperature range of - 62°C to 125°C. The coupler sizes produced ranged from 8 × 8 to 64 × 64 port devices. Essential features of the design along with sample performance data are presented.     

High efficiency grating coupler between silicon-on-insulator waveguides and perfectly vertical optical fibers

A high-efficiency waveguide-to-fiber grating coupler for silicon-on-insulator waveguides was designed. Perfectly vertical fiber coupling is achieved by using an asymmetric grating structure to suppress the second-order Bragg reflection from the grating. The ability to use a perfectly vertical positioned optical fiber simplifies the packaging of the photonic integrated circuit. A coupling efficiency of 80% at a wavelength of 1.55 microm is obtained.     

Modeling and optimizing the pulse replicator based on the active recirculating optical loop

Signal to noise ratio (SNR) is an important parameter in the output signal of the pulse replicator. We propose a novel new method to improve this parameter. Instead of focusing on lowering the noise level of the optical amplifier and limiting the accumulation of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise in the loop, we consider the optimization of other system parameters. By modeling with a predefined implementation of the pulse replicator, an evaluation function of SNR is constructed, with variables such as the coupling ratio, the optical fiber length. In this paper, we will construct the quantitative function between SNR and the coupling ratio. According to the evaluation function, we can determine the optimal value of the coupling ratio for the coupler to obtain the best SNR within the predefined parameters. The experiment will prove that the SNR in the output signal of the pulse replicator has been increased while using the optimal coupling ratio. This will contribute greatly to future work on improving SNR of the pulse replicator.