Dependence of output power in modulated optical fiber ring resonator on nonlinear refractive index

Nonlinear dynamics in optical fiber ring resonators (OFRRs) can be applied to the estimation of the nonlinear refractive index of optical fibers. The output power of the OFRR becomes convergent, periodic, and chaotic with an increase in the input power. In this study, the dependence of the output power on the nonlinear refractive index is analyzed numerically. The critical input power at which the convergent state changes to the periodic state decreases smaller as the nonlinear refractive index increases. In addition, the maximum oscillation width of the output power decreases monotonically with the nonlinear refractive index. These dependences are sensitive to the parameters of the OFRR. The estimation of the nonlinear refractive index can be realized effectively using the maximum or minimum critical input power, and the maximum oscillation width of the output power even under a subtle fluctuation in the optical fiber ring length.     

Proposal for nonlinear refractive index measurement using spectral ratio in modulated OFRR dynamics

A novel method for measuring the nonlinear refractive index of an optical fiber using a spectral ratio between the modulation frequency and a harmonic component in a modulated optical fiber ring resonator (OFRR) is proposed. The spectral ratio between the modulation frequency and the 2nd-harmonics generated by phase-modulation through the OFRR is increased with increasing the input light power and has peaks above 5 W input power, however, the peaks was shifted to the lower input power below 1 W by averaging taken into account of the phase distribution. A experimental setup consisted of an OFRR system and an Ar-laser as a pump light source was used to determine the nonlinear refractive index of an optical fiber. In the experimental results, the peaks of the spectral ratio as a function of the input power was found out at 0.8 W and 0.45 W of the input power corresponding to the input source line at 488.0 nm and 514.5 nm, respectively. The profile was similar to that obtained by the simulation and the nonlinear refractive index of a optical fiber was determined as 1.0 × 10⁻²² m²/V² by a relationship between the input power giving the peak and the nonlinear refractive index.     

Integrated-optic temperature sensors based on guided-mode radiation in polymer waveguide

Optical temperature sensors consisting of low-loss polymer waveguides with a glass lower cladding are demonstrated. The refractive index of the optical polymer is precisely controlled to have a certain initial refractive index contrast with the glass substrate used for lower cladding. Depending on the initial index contrast, the operating temperature ranges of the sensors are determined. The polymer devices are fabricated by spin-coating and UV curing, which could be replaced by the cost-effective imprinting or injection molding process. The sensor exhibits a monotonic decrease of the transmission intensity corresponding to the temperature increase, which enables straightforward reading of temperature from the measured optical power.     

Sensing ammonia with ferrocene-based polymer coated tapered optical fibers

The application of ferrocene-based polymers as variable index materials is discussed. The refractive index of thin film of a particular polymer known as poly(methylphenylsilyeneferrocenylene) is examined during exposure to ammonia, nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and argon. A maximum of 9% deviation in the refractive index of the polymer upon exposure to ammonia is observed. The theory of operation and fabrication of polymer-coated tapered optical fiber gas sensors are explained. Experimental data is presented showing qualitative response to ammonia and other gases.     

Enhanced transduction of photonic crystal dye lasers for gas sensing via swelling polymer film

We present the enhanced transduction of a photonic crystal dye laser for gas sensing via deposition of an additional swelling polymer film. Device operation involves swelling of the polymer film during exposure to specific gases, leading to a change in total effective refractive index. Experimental results show an enhancement of 16.09 dB in sensing ethanol vapor after deposition of a polystyrene film. We verify different responses of the polystyrene film when exposed to either ethanol vapor or increased humidity, indicating selectivity. The concept is generic and, in principle, straightforward in its application to other intracavity-based detection schemes to enable gas sensing.     

Sensing ammonia with ferrocene-based polymer coated tapered optical fibers

Abstract

The application of ferrocene-based polymers as variable index materials is discussed. The refractive index of thin film of a particular polymer known as poly(methylphenylsilyeneferrocenylene) is examined during exposure to ammonia, nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and argon. A maximum of 9% deviation in the refractive index of the polymer upon exposure to ammonia is observed. The theory of operation and fabrication of polymer-coated tapered optical fiber gas sensors are explained. Experimental data is presented showing qualitative response to ammonia and other gases.     

Numerical analysis of a photonic crystal fiber based on two polarized modes for biosensing applications

This paper presents a theoretical study on a photonic crystal fiber plasmonic refractive index biosensor. The proposed photonic crystal fiber sensor introduces the concept of simultaneous detection with the linearly polarized and radially polarized modes because the sensing performance of the sensor based on both modes is relatively high, which will be useful for selecting the modes to make the detection accurately. The sharp single resonant peaks of the linearly polarized mode and radially polarized mode, are stronger and more sensitive to the variation of analyte refractive index than that of any other polarized mode in this kind of photonic crystal fiber. For linearly polarized mode and radially polarized mode, the maximum sensitivities of 10448.5nm per refractive index unit and 8230.7nm per refractive index unit can be obtained, as well as 949.8 and 791.4 for figure of merits in the sensing range of 1.33-1.45, respectively. Compared with the conventional Au-metalized surface plasmon resonance sensors, our device is better and can be applied as a biosensor.     

基于表面等离子体共振的新型超宽带微结构光纤传感器研究

基于表面等离子体共振的微结构光纤传感器具有高灵敏、免标记和实时监控等优点.如今,由于此类传感器广泛应用于食品安全控制、环境检测、生物分子分析物检测等诸多领域而受到大量研究.然而,目前所报道的绝大多数此类传感器只能应用于可见光或近中红外传感.因此,对可应用于中红外传感的表面等离子体共振微结构光纤传感器的研究是一项极具挑战性的工作.基于此,本文设计了一种可以工作在近红外和中红外区域的新型高灵敏表面等离子体共振微结构光纤传感器.传感器采用双芯单样品通道结构,该结构不仅可以消除相邻样品通道间的相互干扰和提高传感器的信噪比,还可以在超宽带波长范围内实现高灵敏检测.采用全矢量有限元法对其传感特性进行了系统的研究,研究结果表明:当待测样品折射率分布在1.423—1.513范围内时,传感器不仅可以在1.548—2.796μm的超宽带波长范围内进行工作,而且其平均灵敏度高达13964 nm/RIU.此外,传感器的最高波长灵敏度和折射率分辨率分别为17900 nm/RIU,5.59×10^–7 RIU.     

Index-of-refraction sensors: virtually unlimited sensing power at the critical angle

In an effort to improve and simplify refractive index sensors, we identified a basic operation mode at the critical angle. Sensitivity to the refractive index is higher than in standard surface plasmon resonance sensors, and we have been able to demonstrate analytically that it is virtually an unbounded value. We describe this approach and submit a complete analytical study demonstrating its unlimited sensing power. To test the approach, we constructed an economical and basic sensor. Despite its simplicity, we demonstrated the discrimination capability to be of the order of 10(-6), as far as we know close to the best sensitivity ever recorded. This detection method is generally applicable to any optical system and may pave the way for the next generation of optical sensing devices.     

A comparative study of DRL-lift and lift on integrated polyisobutylene polymer matrices

This paper presents a comparative study of polymer pixel on sensors obtained by Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) assisted by a triazene polymer as Dynamic Release Layer (DRL). Polyisobutylene (PIB) was selected as model for chemoselective polymers which could be used as hydrogen-bond acidic polymer for vapor sensors.     

High-performance refractive index sensor based on guided-mode resonance in all-dielectric nano-silt array

We propose a high-quality refractive index sensing by utilizing the characteristic guided-mode resonance (GMR) excited in a simple one-dimensional all-dielectric nano-slit array. We demonstrate a figure of merit up to 12000, which is higher than that achieved in most plasmonic refractive index sensors. We show that high-quality sensing performance can be sustained over a broadband range in near infrared region with relatively large variations in both grating depth and angle of incidence. Such a GMR-based all-dielectric sensing device with the ease of fabrication is expected to hold great promise for realizing broadband refractive index sensors with high performance and compactness.     

表面覆膜波导光栅共振光谱特性及传感机理分析

基于波导光栅共振原理和古斯-汉欣(Goos-Hänchen)位移理论,提出一种表面覆膜波导光栅传感结构,并研究其共振光谱特性。通过在光栅表面涂覆低折射率聚合物功能膜层优化其共振光谱特性,选用多孔硅作为待测物承载单元,可以使光学探针更充分地接触待测样本,从而提高其检测性能。根据波导光栅共振相位条件,建立了共振波长和样本折射率之间的数学模型,通过检测共振位置的改变进而对样本浓度进行检测。研究表明,该表面覆膜波导光栅传感结构具有线型对称和窄线宽的共振光谱特性,可实现高品质因数(Q值)和高灵敏度的传感特性,其Q值为1 488,对折射率的检测极限可达5×10-4 RIU(RIU为折射率单位)。通过检测不同浓度的葡萄糖溶液对其传感特性进行验证分析,结果表明,共振波长与葡萄糖溶液浓度之间具有良好的线性关系,对葡萄糖溶液的检测灵敏度为1.12nm/1%,证明了该表面覆膜波导光栅传感结构的有效性,可以用于对低浓度样本溶液的实时动态监测,并为波长调制型光学折射率传感器的研究提供理论指导。     

Determination of the effective refractive index of porous silicon/polymer composite films

The equation for calculating the effective refractive index of porous silicon inserted polymer was obtained by three-component Bruggeman effective medium model. The dependence of the effective refractive index of porous silicon/polymer composite films on the polymer fraction with various initial porosity was given theorically and experimentally respectively. The porous silicon and polymer polymethylmetacrylate based dispersive red one (PMMA/DR1) composite films were fabricated in our experiments. It is found that the measured effective refractive index of porous silicon inserted polymer was slightly lower than the calculated result because of the oxidization of porous silicon. The effective refractive index of oxidized porous silicon inserted polymer also was analyzed by four-component medium system.     

Nonlinear optics in radiatively cooled vapors

We consider the use of a radiatively cooled resonant vapor as a media for 3rd order nonlinear optics processes. The 3rd order nonlinear refractive index coefficient due to both steady state saturation of the atomic polarizability and electrostrictive induced density changes are computed for a radiatively cooled vapor with sodium as an example. For pump detuning on the order of the natural linewidth the electrostrictive and saturation induced nonlinear refractive index coefficients are comparable and several orders of magnitude greater than the highest values yet reported. At pump detunings larger than the natural linewidth the electrostrictive mechanism is shown to dominate in the steady state.     

Optical microresonator based on hollow sphere with porous wall for chemical sensing

A porous-wall hollow glass microsphere (PW-HGM) was investigated as an optical resonator for chemical vapor sensing. A single mode optical fiber taper was used to interrogate the microresonator. Adsorption of chemical molecules into the nanosized pores induced a refractive index change of the thin wall and thus a shift in its resonance spectrum. The PW-HGM resonator had shown higher vapor detection sensitivity in comparison with a solid microsphere under similar test conditions.     

Simulation of surface-modified porous silicon photonic crystals for biosensing applications

In this work realistic biosensing structures based on the integration of porous silicon photonic crystals with polymer coating technology are presented. Microcavities and rugate filters are chosen as the photonic crystal configuration. The deposition of a polymer layer on the pore walls of these structures is proposed to improve the selectivity and sensitivity of the sensing function. A complete effective refractive index model including the polymer layer, the target and external effects like silicon oxidation has been developed in order to accurately simulate the structures. It is expected that the proposed structures could be used as low cost, highly integrated and highly sensitive biological sensors.     

基于液晶/聚合物光栅的高转化效率有机半导体激光器

采用有机半导体发光材料聚[2-甲氧基-5-(2-乙基己氧基)-1,4-苯乙炔]作为增益介质,低官能度光敏单体制备的液晶/聚合物光栅作为外部反馈谐振腔,制备出参数可独立控制的分离式结构的有机半导体激光器.液晶/聚合物光栅中液晶分子的取向影响光栅折射率调制量,从而影响光栅的反馈能力,最终影响激光器出射激光的性能.通过研究发现决定液晶分子取向的主要有两种与光栅周期有关的作用力,利用这一原理制备不同周期的光栅,光栅周期小于450 nm时,相分离出的液晶分子取向由光栅矢量方向变为光栅沟槽方向,此时光栅的折射率调制量增加,光反馈能力增强.采用周期为395 nm的液晶/聚合物光栅制备二级布拉格散射的有机半导体激光器,相较于大周期光栅(593 nm)制备的激光器,激光阈值由0.70μJ/pulse降低至0.18μJ/pulse,转化效率由2.5%提高到6.4%,且出射激光垂直于基板表面发射,有利于后续的处理及应用.     

High sensitivity Mach–Zehnder interferometer sensors based on concatenated ultra-abrupt tapers on thinned fibers

This study proposes a simple, cost-effective method to fabricate fiber-based Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) sensors by concatenating two ultra-abrupt fiber tapers together using a fusion splicer. By concatenating, the taper diameter and length ratio is 1:1 that is much greater than that (1:10) by stretching. The refractive index sensitivity is comparable to the MZI sensors based on long-period fiber grating pairs or stretched fiber taper pairs. The MZI fiber claddings are etched to improve the sensitivity of refractive index measurements. The sensitivity is 664.57 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) for the refractive index ranging from 1.3348 to 1.3558, which is 2–6 times greater than those measured by long period fiber gratings (LPFGs) after sensitivity enhancement.     

Whispering gallery mode microlasers and refractive index sensing based on single polymer fiber

The realization of whispering gallery mode (WGM) lasing in polymer fibers is hindered by an appropriate method to dissolve the polymer and the gain material. In this work, microfibers fabricated by directly drawing from a dye doped polymer solution are exhibited as high quality microlasers and microsensors. Multi‐mode and even single‐mode lasing is observed from the fiber under optical pumping at room temperature. The linewidth of lasing mode is narrower than 0.09 nm. The lasing mechanism is unambiguously verified by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis and ascribed to WGMs. Diameter‐ and polarization‐dependent lasing characteristics are systematically investigated, showing good agreement with the theoretical calculation. Particularly, application of the fiber laser for refractive index sensing based on resonant shift of lasing mode is demonstrated and the sensitivity up to about 300 nm/RIU is achieved. The promising potential of high quality polymer microfibers as optical sensors and multi‐function components for flexible photonic integrated systems is highly expected.     

Optical control of light propagation in photonic crystal based on electromagnetically induced transparency

A kind of photonic crystal structure with modulation of the refractive index is investigated both experimentally and theoretically for exploiting electromagnetically induced transparency(EIT).The combination of EIT with periodically modulated refractive index medium gives rise to high efficiency reflection as well as forbidden transmission in a threelevel atomic system coupled by standing wave.We show an accurate theoretical simulation via transfer-matrix theory,automatically accounting for multilayer reflections,thus fully demonstrate the existence of photonic crystal structure in atomic vapor.