Unambiguous measurement of surface profile using a Sagnac interferometer with phase feedback

The fringe profiles from a two beam interferometer with phase feedback are almost unambiguous over a range of 2π or more. This allows phase and therefore surface profile to be determined directly from output intensity of an interferometer. In this paper we describe how feedback can be applied to a polarisation Sagnac common path interferometer using a parallel aligned nematic liquid crystal spatial light modulator. Initial experiments have shown that the device is capable of measuring profiles to accuracies greater than one tenth of a wavelength.     

Period-generating different modulation formats by inserting an electro-absorption modulator in a Sagnac fiber loop

Period-generating different modulation formats are presented using an electro-absorption modulator (EAM). The configuration is based on a Sagnac loop interferometer containing an EAM, a polarization controller and a time delay line. Different modulation formats are obtained by modulating the clockwise and counterclockwise propagating waves inside the Sagnac loop. The theoretical analysis is also obtained. Measured results demonstrate period-generating different modulation format by tuning the time delay line.     

Surface-profile measurement by means of a polarization Sagnac interferometer with parallel optical feedback

We describe a novel feedback interferometer for real-time, unambiguous measurement of surface profiles that consists of a polarization Sagnac interferometer and an optically addressed phase-only spatial light modulator. In this system the output intensity from the Sagnac interferometer is optically fed back to the phase modulator placed in one arm of the interferometer, which produces a sawtooth fringe intensity profile (instead of the conventional cosinusoidal one) that is directly and unambiguously related to the surface profile. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of applying this system to surface-profile measurement.     

An intensity-modulation direct-detection radio-over-fiber link with a tunable transfer function

An intensity-modulation direct-detection (IMDD) radio-over-fiber link with a tunable transfer function is presented. It utilizes a bias drift free intensity modulator based on a Sagnac fiber loop interferometer containing an optical phase modulator. By adjusting the polarization controller in the interferometer, the transfer function of the whole system can be tuned. The present method is simple and easy to implement.     

Magneto-optic fiber Sagnac modulator based on magnetic fluids

A magneto-optic modulator with a magnetic fluid film inserted into an optical fiber Sagnac interferometer is proposed. The magnetic fluid exhibits variable birefringence and Faraday effect under external magnetic field that will lead to a phase difference and polarization state rotation in the Sagnac interferometer. As a result, the intensity of the output light is modulated under the external magnetic field. Moreover, the modulator has a high extinction ratio and can easily be integrated in a single-mode fiber system. The performance of the modulator is not affected by ambient temperature variation from room temperature to 40 °C.     

Interrogation technique for a fiber Bragg grating sensing array based on a Sagnac interferometer and an acousto-optic modulator

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel real-time interrogation technique for a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing system that is based on a frequency-shifted asymmetric Sagnac interferometer. FBG sensors are connected to the Sagnac loop by an optical coupler, and an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is asymmetrically placed in the Sagnac loop. By linearly sweeping the driving frequency of the AOM, the environmental variation around each FBG sensor can be determined by measuring the spectrum of the interference signals of the two counterpropagating light beams reflected by the corresponding FBG. The system has the advantages of low cost and real-time sensing.     

High-resolution, large dynamic range fiber length measurement based on a frequency-shifted asymmetric Sagnac interferometer

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a single-mode fiber length and dispersion measurement system based on what we believe to be a novel frequency-shifted asymmetric Sagnac interferometer incorporating an acousto-optic modulator (AOM). By sweeping the driving frequency of the AOM, which is asymmetrically placed in the Sagnac loop, the optical length of the fiber can be determined by measuring the corresponding variation in the phase delay between the two counterpropagating light beams. Combined with a high-resolution data processing algorithm, this system yields a dynamic range from a few centimeters to 60 km (limited by our availability of long fibers) with a resolution of approximately 1 part per million for long fibers.     

Measurement of the chromatic dispersion of an optical fiber by use of a Sagnac interferometer employing asymmetric modulation

We describe a novel method, based on asymmetric modulation in a Sagnac interferometer, that measures the chromatic dispersion of single-mode fibers. The interferometer incorporates a phase modulator and a test fiber, so the dispersion can be determined from the interference fringe seen when a sweep rf signal is applied to the modulator. This technique provides picosecond temporal resolution without the need for any fast diagnostic equipment and is capable of accurately measuring the average dispersion of fibers several kilometers long.     

Photonic microwave phase shifter/modulator based on a nonlinear optical loop mirror incorporating a Mach-Zehnder interferometer

We realize a novel photonic microwave phase shifter/modulator based on a nonlinear optical loop mirror incorporating a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. A near-linear phase shifter exceeding 180 degrees and a phase modulation with 2.5 Gbit/s baseband signal are obtained for a 10 GHz microwave signal by this proposed device.     

Optical characteristics of transparent PMNT ceramic and its application at high speed electro-optic switch

The optical characteristics of transparent lead magnesium niobate titanate (PMNT) electro-optic ceramic, including the electro-optic phase modulation, electric hysteresis property and thermo-optic coefficient, are investigated in detail. Based on this novel ceramic, a polarization independent electro-optic switch by using fiber Sagnac interferometer (FSI) structure is realized. An initial π-shift is introduced into the Sagnac loop to eliminate the effect of the polarization orientation of the incident light on the switch performance. Then an electrically controllable PMNT phase retarder is used to switch the optical signal between the reflection and transmission ports. Some theoretical analyses are given and the switch performances are also discussed, including the thermal characteristic and different switching frequency response.     

Generation of frequency-chirped laser pulses by an electro-optic amplitude modulator

We propose a single electro-optic amplitude modulator to modulate both the intensity and the phase of the light of a diode laser to produce frequency-chirped light pulses in the nanosecond time range. The two-in-one property of the Mach–Zehnder type electro-optic amplitude modulator is used to create a specific device available for experiments with cooled atoms. The phase induced in each optical path of the Mach–Zehnder interferometer and the phase-to-intensity modulation ratio, the intrinsic chirp parameter of the device is determined by generating high order optical harmonics.     

基于插入损耗的光纤信号调制器

基于光纤连接的横向偏移造成的插入损耗研制了一种的新型的光纤信号光调制器。调节对接光纤的横向偏移,可以调节对接光纤间的光耦合效率,利用调制信号调制横向偏移可实现对光纤传输光信号的调制。实验中,将调制电信号放大并加载于压电陶瓷使其振荡,由此控制对接光纤的横向偏移与调制信号同步变化,实现了对下一级光纤输出端光强的调制。这种光纤信号调制器主要针对光的振幅调制,实验中获得调制度优于95%,信噪比约为20dB,带宽约为200kHz。具有价格低廉、调制度高的特点,可应用于光纤传输信号的调制及信号斩波等。     

基于Sagnac干涉仪的混合锁模光纤激光器

研制了一台波长可调混合锁模掺铒光纤激光器.该激光器是由基于分光比为30∶70的耦合器和偏振控制器组成的Sagnac干涉仪构成.通过10GHz的调制器的调制，得到重复率为9.998149 GHz，脉宽小于18 ps的锁模脉冲输出.该脉冲是近变换极限脉冲.     

Balanced heterodyne signal extraction in a postmodulated Sagnac interferometer at low frequency

We describe a balanced-heterodyne postmodulated Sagnac interferometer signal extraction method that is suitable for gravitational wave detection. The method is simple to implement by placement of a polarization-selective modulator after the beam splitter in the dark port of the interferometer. The postmodulated Sagnac interferometer retains its common path advantage and exhibits insensitivity to laser frequency noise below, at, and above the heterodyne frequency. Balanced detection reduces sensitivity to laser amplitude noise. In this scheme mirror displacement signals were rf demodulated and observed from 0.2 to 10kHz.     

Fiber optic sensor based on a sagnac interferometer including a recirculating-ring delay line with an edfa

We present a theoretical and experimental investigation of a Sagnac interferometer incorporating a fiber optic recirculating-ring delay line with an erbium-doped fiber amplifier to increase the effective length of the Sagnac loop and thereby improve the low-frequency response. Theoretical calculations show that the low-frequency response of the interferometer is enhanced as expected. However, the noise penalty of using a fiber amplifier in the ring is quite high, especially at low frequencies. The signal-to-noise ratio at low frequencies, using a superfluorescent erbium fiber source, is demonstrated as increasing by a factor of 2 compared to a single-loop Sagnac interferometer with the same total length of fiber, but without fiber amplifier.     

Reduced minimum configuration fiber optic gyro for land navigation applications

Further cost reduction of the fiber optic gyroscope is necessary in order to meet the economic requirements of land navigation systems. We have previously concentrated on the reduction of the number of splices and component improvements in the open-loop, minimum configuration. Now we eliminate nonessential components and splices. The source-detector coupler is not part of the Sagnac interferometer and serves solely to provide isolation between the broadband optical source and the photodetector. Many commercial laser diodes incorporate a back-facet photodetector to monitor laser intensity. The signal returned from the Sagnac interferometer traverses the laser, is received at this photodetector, and can be distinguished from the laser signal by the bias modulation. Configuring a gyro in this manner eliminates a directional coupler and the separate photodetector as well as up to three fiber splices in an all-fiber gyroscope. A production, open-loop, fiber optic gyroscope has been modified to demonstrate this principal. The gyroscope can be constructed with only two fiber splices and exhibits performance comparable to the conventional minimum configuration.     

Numerical study on a compact all-semiconductor-optical-amplifier Sagnac interferometer device

The nonlinear switching effect of an all-semiconductor-optical-amplifier Sagnac interferometer is numerically investigated. The device, stemming from the conventional nonlinear optical loop mirror made of fiber, has a much more compact size and a latency several hundred times smaller than the conventional ones. Numerical simulations are conducted for the case of cw signal operation. It is found that the nonlinear coupling in the MMIWA and the lateral field redistribution as well as the amplification of the signal through the loop structure contribute together to the nonlinear switching. Besides investigating the physical mechanism of the device, we vary relevant parameters to evaluate their influences on device performance. The numerical simulations show good agreement in trend with the experimental results.     

带有对称啁啾光纤光栅的Sagnac环滤波器

通过在光纤Sagnac环中引入对称啁啾光纤光栅,对带有光纤光栅的Sagnac环梳状滤波器进行了改进,克服了原有滤波器工作带宽小、通带间隔不等的缺点.通过对光栅参量进行适当设计,在中等折射率调制度下,可使光栅同时具有高反射率和大反射带宽,结合Sagnac环可得到大带宽、等间隔梳状滤波器.     

1.5 μm Ti:LiNbO3电光波导强度调制器

用钛内扩散技术和常规光刻手段,研制出1.5μmLiN_bO₃电光波导强度调制器。它由单模波导非对称Mach-Zehnder干涉仪和三电极共平面波导组成。干涉仪的两个臂长相差波导波长的四分之一,使器件在最佳线性点工作,无需外加电偏压。集总调制和行波调制的理论带宽分别为1GHz和7.8GHz。对于集总器件,测量了调制特性,半波电压为9.5V,调制带宽为0.7GHz。     

Non-contact detection of laser-generated surface acoustic waves using fiber optic Sagnac interferometer

A high powered Q-switched Nd:YAG laser was used to excite the surface waves, and an optical fiber sensor was used to detect the out-of-plane displacements due to the propagating waves. This sensor is based on the fiber optic Sagnac interferometer, which has the path-matched configuration and does not require active stabilization. Quadrature phase bias between two interfering laser beams in the Sagnac loop is applied by controlling the birefringence in an optical path using a fiber polarization controller. A stable quadrature phase bias can be confirmed by observing the interferometer output according to the change of phase bias. Additional signal processing is not needed for the detection of ultrasonic waves using the Sagnac interferometer. The performance of the fiber optic Sagnac interferometer was investigated, and laser-generated surface wave signals were detected using this fiber optic sensor. The developed fiber optic sensor configured in this study is very simple and is effective for non-contact detection of ultrasonic waves.