Double-clad fiber for endoscopy

Endoscopes employing a single optical fiber may have advantages over conventional fiber-bundle or CCD array imaging techniques, including the potential for greater flexibility and miniaturization. Although single-mode fibers can provide superior resolution compared with multimode fibers, they are prone to increased speckle noise and suffer from limited optical throughput and reduced depth of field. We demonstrate the use of a double-clad fiber for single-mode illumination and multimode detection to achieve high-resolution, reduced-speckle imaging with high optical throughput and a large depth of field.     

Bending-induced optical loss in random-hole optical fibers

We present the experimentally determined optical bend loss for random hole optical fibers in the spectral range 1520 to 1570 nm induced by wrapping the optical fiber around a fixed diameter mandrel. The optical losses are compared to those obtained for a single-mode fiber and a multimode fiber using the same bending procedures. The bending induced optical losses in the random hole optical fibers were several orders of magnitude lower than for the single-mode fiber and were about 1 order of magnitude lower than for the multimode fiber.     

Low-loss coupling between two single-mode optical fibers with different mode-field diameters using a graded-index multimode optical fiber

We present a method for ultra-low-loss coupling between two single-mode optical fibers with different mode-field diameters using multimode interference in a graded-index multimode optical fiber. We perform a detailed analysis of the interference effects and show that the graded-index fiber can also be used as a beam expander or condenser. The results are important for devices in which optical fibers with different mode-field diameters are coupled in series, such as in ultra-short-pulse fiber ring lasers, or in optical fiber communication links.     

Beam cleanup in a self-aligned gradient-index Brillouin cavity for high-power multimode fiber amplifiers

We propose a beam cleanup setup to convert a multimode beam into a single-mode beam by use of the Brillouin effect in a multimode gradient-index (GI) fiber. Phase conjugation and beam cleanup regimes in highly multimode fibers are discussed, and the self-aligned GI fiber Brillouin cavity is presented. We report a preliminary conversion from an M2=6.5 beam into an M2=1.3 beam with 31% efficiency.     

All-fiber Mach-Zehnder curvature sensor based on multimode interference combined with a long-period grating

A novel Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on a fiber multimode interference structure combined with a long-period fiber grating (LPG) is proposed. The multimode interference is achieved through the use of a MMF section spliced between two single-mode fibers, with a length adjusted to couple a fraction of light into the cladding modes. A LPG placed after the MMF couples light back into the fiber core, completing the Mach-Zehnder interferometer. This novel configuration was demonstrated as a bending sensor.     

多模光纤光栅温度传感特性的实验研究

利用氢敏化处理的多模光纤制作了多模光纤光栅,并对多模光纤光栅的温度传感特性进行了实验研究与理论分析,表明这种光栅三个反射峰的布拉格波长随温度变化均呈现出良好的线性关系,并且重复性相当好,同一光栅的各反射峰的理论温度灵敏度系数都等于0．01nm／℃,实验测得的温度灵敏度系数为0．0098nm／℃或0．0099nm／℃,与理论分析相当吻合,这些特性与单模光纤光栅的温度传感特性接近相同。因此可以用多模光纤光栅代替单模光纤光栅开发光纤光栅传感器,以降低成本;这一实验结果还可以作为对多模光纤光栅进一步深入研究的参考。     

High-energy single-transverse-mode Q-switched fiber laser based on a multimode large-mode-area erbium-doped fiber

We demonstrate that appropriately designed doped multimode fibers provide robust single-mode output when used within a fiber laser cavity. Using a novel large-mode-area fiber, we demonstrate what we believe to be record single-mode (M(2) <1.2) pulse energies of >0.5 mJ from a Q -switched fiber laser and even higher pulse energies (as high as 0.85 mJ) with slightly compromised spatial-mode quality (M(2)<2.0) . This approach offers significant scope for extending the range of single-mode output powers and energies that are achievable from fiber-laser-amplifier systems.     

Signal beating elimination using single-mode fiber to multimode fiber coupling

We experimentally demonstrate an all-passive fiber-based approach to prevent undesired beating during signal merging and detection. Beating occurs when optical signals of very close or the same wavelength are combined at a coupler and detected using a photodetector. Our approach is based on signal coupling from several single-mode fibers to a single piece of multimode fiber without interference, such that different signals propagate in different modes with different spatial positions inside the multimode fiber. We have investigated signal beating when the signals are coherent, partially coherent, or incoherent with each other. The measured results for single-mode to multimode coupling show signal beating is substantially reduced, resulting in widely opened eye diagrams and error-free bit error rate performance.     

All-fiber multimode-interference-based refractometer sensor: proposal and design

A novel all-fiber refractometer sensor is proposed, which is based on multimode interference in the multimode fiber core section sandwiched between two single-mode fibers. A wide-angle beam propagation method in the cylindrical coordinate is employed as the modeling tool for simulation and design of the proposed refractometer sensor. The design for a refractometer is presented that shows that the refractometer would have an estimated resolution of 5.4 x 10(-5) for refractive indices from 1.33 to 1.45 and of 3.3 x 10(-5) for refractive indices from 1.38 to 1.45 through the choice of an appropriate length of the multimode fiber core section.     

Experimental demonstration of novel end-pumping method for double-clad fiber devices

We present experimental demonstration of an end-pumping scheme based on splicing the multimode pump and single-mode signal fibers directly to a double-clad fiber with a tailored cross section. The method is used to pump a double-clad, erbium- and ytterbium-doped, fiber ring laser. The efficiency of the end-pumping method is tested by determining the slope efficiencies of the fiber ring laser and the fiber laser in a Fabry-Perot configuration. Comparable slope efficiencies are found when both laser configurations have similar output coupler ratios. The developed pumping scheme and double-clad fiber can find applications in cost-effective power fiber amplifiers and lasers.     

Single-transverse-mode output from a fiber laser based on multimode interference

An alternative original approach to achieve single-transverse-mode laser emissions from multimode (MM) active fibers is demonstrated. The fiber cavity is constructed by simply splicing a conventional passive single-mode fiber (SMF-28) onto a few centimeters-long active MM fiber section whose length is precisely controlled. Owing to the self-imaging property of multimode interference (MMI) in the MM fiber, diffraction-limited laser output is obtained from the end of the SMF-28, and the MMI fiber laser is nearly as efficient as the corresponding MM fiber laser. Moreover, because of the spectral filtering effect during in-phase MMI, the bandwidth of the MMI fiber laser is below 0.5 nm.     

Side pumping of double-clad photonic crystal fibers

Side pumping of double-clad photonic crystal fibers is experimentally demonstrated. Optical access to the multimode cladding is obtained by collapsing the airholes over a short length of fiber while leaving the inner single-mode core undisturbed. Coupling efficiencies greater than 90% are obtained. A side-pumped Yb fiber laser with a slope efficiency of 81% is demonstrated with this method.     

Nineteen-port photonic lantern with multimode delivery fiber

We demonstrate efficient multimode (MM) to single-mode (SM) conversion in a 19-port photonic lantern with a 50 μm core MM delivery fiber. The photonic lantern can be used within the field of astrophotonics for coupling MM starlight to an ensemble of SM fibers in order to perform fiber-Bragg-grating-based spectral filtering. An MM delivery fiber spliced to the photonic lantern offers the advantage that the delivery fiber guides the light from the focal plane of the telescope to the splitter. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to have the splitter mounted directly in the focal plane of the telescope. The coupling loss from a 50 μm core MM fiber to an ensemble of 19 SM fibers and back to a 50 μm core MM fiber is below 1.1 dB.     

Extending the bandwidth-distance product for multimode fiber systems

A scheme is investigated by which the bandwidth-distance product of a multimode fiber can be easily extended to support nearly the same transmission rate as the single-mode system. The scheme is based on launching a limited number of modes into the multimode fiber, and extracting a limited number of modes at the receiving end. The power penalty imposed by the scheme and the dispersion performance are investigated. In particular, it is shown that the scheme carries about 6.5-dB penalty, and doubling of the bandwidth × distance value is demonstrated. The proposed scheme facilitates upgrading the existing networks wired with multimode fiber (e.g., FDDI) from hundreds of Mbps to Gbps transmission rates.     

High-sensitivity, evanescent field refractometric sensor based on a tapered, multimode fiber interference

We propose and experimentally demonstrate an enhanced evanescent field fiber refractometer based on a tapered multimode fiber sandwiched between two single-mode fibers. Experiments show that this fiber sensor offers ultrahigh sensitivity [better than 1900 nm/RIU at a refractive index (RI) of 1.44] for RI measurements within the range of 1.33-1.44, in agreement with the theoretical predictions. This is the highest value reported to date (to our knowledge) in the literature.     

基于多模光纤滤波器的可调谐掺铒光纤激光器

研究了一种新型、全光纤、宽带可调谐环形腔掺铒光纤激光器。该激光器利用由单模-多模-单模光纤组成的滤波器实现波长可调谐及激光器的全光纤结构。该滤波器将多模光纤缠绕在偏振控制器上,两端分别与一段单模光纤相连,通过调整偏振控制器的状态,实现了中心波长1542～1560nm的不同激光输出。单波长连续可调谐激光器的波长可调范围为18nm,边模抑制比大于40dB,3dB线宽为0.096nm;进一步调整偏振控制器的状态和抽运功率,实验同时得到了连续可调谐的双波长、三波长等多波长激光输出。对于可调谐的多波长激光器,通过调整偏振控制器的状态,可实现波长间隔及输出中心波长两者可调。     

Principal modes in fiber amplifiers

The dynamics of the state of polarization in multimode fiber amplifiers is presented. The experimental results reveal that although the state of polarizations at the output can vary over a large range when changing the temperatures of the fiber amplifiers, the variations are significantly reduced when resorting to the principal states of polarization in single-mode fiber amplifiers and principal modes in multimode fiber amplifiers.     

High-speed data transmission over a 1 km broad wavelength window multimode fiber

For cost and design simplicity, various optical network architectures have been proposed in which downstream traffic from the optical line terminal to the optical networking unit is transmitted by carriers in the 1550 nm window, and upstream traffic by those in the 1300 nm window. A new generation of multimode fiber (MMF) has been designed to accommodate this requirement and to address technical challenges associated with fiber coupling. By restricting the number of modes at both fiber input and output, using off-the-shelf single-mode transceivers, single-wavelength 40 Gbit/s data transmission over a 1 km broad wavelength window multimode fiber has been demonstrated with only a 1.5 dB power penalty. The capacity in this new class of MMF is expected to increase with conventional technologies in single-mode fiber such as wavelength-division multiplexing and polarization multiplexing.     

Polymer Optical Fiber Photosensitivities and Highly Tunable Fiber Gratings

In this paper, recent progress in the investigation of photosensitivities of polymer optical fibers and the development of polymer optical fiber grating is reported. Photosensitivities in various polymer fibers, including doped and undoped, multimode and single-mode polymer fibers, have been experimentally characterized and evaluated for fiber grating application. In particular, the wavelength dependence of material absorption and photosensitivity has been found essential to the fabrication of polymer optical fiber grating. Based on the results of photosensitivity research, polymer optical fiber gratings have been successfully fabricated. More importantly, polymer optical fiber grating has been demonstrated highly tunable, with a tuning range more than 70 nm. The unique feature of high tunability in polymer optical fiber grating has great potential in various applications including optical fiber WDM systems and fiber sensor systems. Several important issues that remain to be investigated will also be discussed.