Fiber bragg gratings made with a phase mask and 800-nm femtosecond radiation

High-quality retroreflecting fiber Bragg gratings were written in standard Ge-doped telecom fiber (Corning SMF-28) after a few minutes exposure with pulsed 800-nm, 120-fs laser radiation by use of a deep-etch silica zero-order nulled phase mask optimized for 800 nm. Induced index modulations of 1.9 x 10(-3) were achieved with peak power intensities of 1.2 x 10(13) W/cm2 without any fiber sensitization. The fiber gratings are stable and did not erase after 2 weeks at 300 degrees C. The primary mechanism of induced index change results from a structural modification to the fiber core.     

Fabrication of strong long-period gratings in hydrogen-free fibers with 157-nm F2-laser radiation

Long-period gratings were fabricated in standard telecommunication fiber (Corning SMF-28) by use of what is believed to be record short-wavelength light from a 157-nm F(2) laser. Strong loss peaks were formed without the need for enhancement techniques such as hydrogen loading. The magnitude of the attenuation peak was sensitive to the single-pulse laser fluence, decreasing with increasing pulse fluence as a result of nonuniform 157-nm laser interaction with both the fiber cladding and core. The long-period fiber gratings have good wavelength stability (Dlambda~7 nm) under thermal annealing at 150 degrees C.     

Solgel-derived photosensitive germanosilicate glass monoliths

We demonstrate volume gratings written in solgel-derived, Ge-doped silica monoliths. Glass was fabricated both with and without germanium oxygen deficient center (GODC) defects. The UV absorption and UV-induced index changes of these glasses, with and without hydrogen loading, are reported. The presence of GODC defects greatly enhances the photosensitivity of Ge-doped silica with and without the presence of hydrogen.     

Grating-Outcoupled Radiation in Second-Order Fiber Bragg Gratings

Abstract

The experimental results of the radiation for second-order fiber Bragg gratings, which are made of a single-mode photosensitive fiber (PS-1500; Fiber-Core Corp.) and a single-mode fiber (SMF-28; Corning Inc.), by a phase mask writing fabrication technique are explored. For PS-1500 fiber Bragg gratings, the maximum radiation efficiency of ?23.5 dB at resonance λ = 1,539.34 nm with a very narrow bandwidth (about 0.02 nm) are measured from a 10-mm-diameter photo-detector, while for SMF-28 fiber Bragg gratings, the maximum radiation efficiency is ?34.6 dB (λ = 1,538.03 nm) with a bandwidth of 0.06 nm. The total efficiencies of the radiation are about ?16.8 dB for PS-1500 fiber Bragg gratings and ?28.1 dB for SMF-28 fiber Bragg gratings.     

Generation of pure two-beam interference grating structures in an optical fiber with a femtosecond infrared source and a phase mask

Fiber Bragg gratings were fabricated in all-silica core fiber by focusing 125-fs 800-nm pulses with an 80-mm lens through a phase mask with 4.28-microm pitch onto a fiber sample. When the phase-mask-fiber separation was 5 mm the observed structure was clearly the result of two-beam interference between the +/- 1 orders. The elimination of the remaining 9 orders is a consequence of the walk-off experienced by the mask orders and the short duration of the femtosecond pulse. This effect is unique to the fabrication of Bragg gratings with femtosecond sources and would not be observed with a longer pulse duration or incoherent UV sources.     

Cavity-enhanced spectroscopy in optical fibers

Cavity-enhanced methods have been extended to fiber optics by use of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) as reflectors. High-finesse fiber cavities were fabricated from FBGs made in both germanium/boron-co-doped photosensitive fiber and hydrogen-loaded Corning SMF-28 fiber. Optical losses in these cavities were determined from the measured Fabry-Perot transmission spectra and cavity ring-down spectroscopy. For a 10-m-long single-mode fiber cavity, ring-down times in excess of 2 ms were observed at 1563.6 nm, and individual laser pulses were resolved. An evanescent-wave access block was produced within a fiber cavity, and an enhanced sensitivity to optical loss was observed as the external medium's refractive index was altered.     

Ultraviolet photosensitive response in an antimony-doped optical fiber

A silica optical fiber doped with Sb is fabricated with a refractive-index profile that is comparable with standard single-mode fiber. In D(2)-loaded samples, we observe UV photosensitivity with an initial refractive-index-modulation growth rate six times higher than that of the equivalent Ge-doped standard fibers. Enhanced temperature stability of the Bragg grating strength up to 200 degrees C is also observed. Grating growth kinetics in the Sb-doped fiber is compared with those of other Ge-doped photosensitive fibers.     

Trimming Behavior of H2-Loaded Silica Fiber Modeled by Rate Equations

Photosensitivity behavior of H2-loaded silica fiber was modeled by rate equations for activated particles. The theoretical deductions give a close explanation to experimental phenomena on post-exposure growth in fiber gratings.     

Bragg grating recording in low-defect optical fibers using ultraviolet femtosecond radiation and a double-phase mask interferometer

The fabrication of Bragg reflectors in fluorine depressed cladding silicate glass and SMF-28 fibers by employing a double-phase mask interferometer and 248 nm, 500 fs laser radiation is demonstrated here. The maximum refractive index changes obtained were of the order of 6 x 10(-4) for pulse intensities of 220 GW/cm(2) and accumulated energy densities of 3.5 kJ/cm(2). The Bragg gratings fabricated in the F-doped fiber endured temperatures greater than 700 degrees C, while those inscribed in the standard telecom fiber demarcated at 900 degrees C. The experimental results presented depict that the combination of the two phase mask interferometer and the 248 nm photon at sub-TW/cm(2) intensities constitute an efficient route in the fabrication of Bragg gratings in low-defect silicate glass optical fibers.     

Photoerasure of ultraviolet-induced birefringence and polarization-mode dispersion of chirped fiber Bragg gratings

The first, to my knowledge, experimental demonstration of photoerasure of UV-induced birefringence and polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) in chirped fiber Bragg gratings is presented here. The photoerasure process carried out by launching high-peak-power (approximately 0.6-kW) pulsed (10-Hz, 5-ns) circularly polarized laser light in the visible wavelength (532 nm) through the core of a fiber with the grating was found to reduce its PMD by more than 85% to 0.12 ps. Possible reasons for the photoerasure process, including photobleaching of UV-induced absorption and randomization of dipole orientation of UV-induced defects, are discussed.     

Three-hole microstructured optical fiber for efficient fiber Bragg grating refractometer

We present a photosensitive three-hole microstructured optical fiber specifically designed to improve the refractive index sensitivity of a standard fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor photowritten in the suspended Ge-doped silica core. We describe the specific photowriting procedure used to realize gratings in such a fiber. We then determine their spectral sensitivity to the refractive index changes of material filling the holes surrounding the core. The sensitivity is compared with that of standard FBGs photowritten in a six-hole fiber with a larger core diameter. We demonstrate an improvement in the sensitivity by two orders of magnitude and reach a resolution of 3 x 10(-5) and 6 x 10(-6) around mean refractive index values of 1.33 and 1.40, respectively.     

Bragg grating fabrication in germanosilicate fibers by use of near-UV light: a new pathway for refractive-index changes

Using 334-nm light, we demonstrate side writing of Bragg gratings with an index change of ~10(-4) in germanium-doped fibers. No hydrogen loading of the fibers was required. These gratings have the same temperature stability as gratings fabricated with 240-nm light. Our results suggest that photoionization is not needed for formation of gratings in Ge-doped glass. We observe an enhancement of the 334-nm photosensitivity in boron-codoped fibers and suggest that B facilitates a structural transformation of the glass.     

Multiple parameter vector bending and high-temperature sensors based on asymmetric multimode fiber Bragg gratings inscribed by an infrared femtosecond laser

We present a multiple parameter integrated fiber sensor that can detect vector bending and ambient temperature simultaneously with a single asymmetric multimode fiber Bragg grating. Multimode Bragg gratings were fabricated in an all-silica core fiber by an infrared femtosecond laser, which showed multiple transmission dips in the transmission spectrum. Bending and ambient temperature fluctuations affect the shapes of multiple transmission dips in different ways. In bending, different dips have different sensitivities. On the other hand, temperature fluctuations tended to influence the dips uniformly across different dips. By analyzing the changing spectrum of dips, one can distinguish the changes induced by bending or temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, the high thermal stability of Bragg gratings inscribed by an infrared femtosecond laser can make this double parameter fiber sensor work in very harsh, high-temperature environments.     

Photoinscription of Bragg gratings within a germanosilicate fiber subjected to a high static electric field

The kinetics of Bragg grating growth in germanosilicate fibers subjected to a high static electric field are compared with those obtained without any electric field. The gratings were written by exposure of the fiber core to laser light at 244 or 193 nm. These experiments gave some clues about the mechanisms responsible for both the photosensitivity in germanosilicate fibers and the nonlinear second-order UV-induced susceptibility in silica glasses. The refractive-index modulation proved to be significantly higher in the fibers subjected to an electric field. Furthermore, the change in the fiber's mean effective refractive index as a function of exposure time was not monotonic. This evolution can be explained by the assumption that some electric-field-induced diffusion of electron trapped centers [Ge(1) and Ge(2)] from the fiber core is involved.     

Index structure of fiber Bragg gratings in Ge-SiO(2) fibers

The behavior of the concentration of photoinduced color centers in Ge-SiO(2) optical fibers was compared with that of the index modulation associated with fiber Bragg gratings (FBG's) written in the same fibers. We find that the fluence dependence of the photoinduced Ge E? center, its thermal annealing behavior, and its reaction with H(2) are similar to that of the index modulation generated in both H(2)-loaded and unloaded Ge-SiO(2) fibers. The much higher photosensitivity of H(2)-loaded Ge-SiO(2) fibers is attributed to the much higher formation efficiency of Ge E? centers, with an additional contribution from GeH. A diamagnetic structure, possibly densification, is also found to contribute to the index modulation of FBG's.     

Contribution of photoinduced densification to refractive-index modulation in Bragg gratings written in Ge-doped silica fibers

We have computed the contribution of UV-light-induced densification to the refractive-index modulation of fiber Bragg gratings. Our results confirm that, for strong gratings written in Ge-doped silica fibers with 248-nm UV light, density changes account for a major part of the photosensitivity effect.     

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.     

基于增强瑞利反馈的单模窄线宽随机激光器

仿真说明了单模光纤(SMF)中瑞利散射(RS)的机理, 指出纤芯掺杂的不均匀性以及拉丝过程引起的光纤几何尺寸的随机变化是光纤中RS产生的主要原因, 并以此为基础制作了损耗为0.54 dB/km的散射光纤. 在通信波段, 5 km该散射光纤的瑞利背向散射(RBS)强度高于相同长度的SMF-28近5 dB. 在基于RBS单模随机激光器的数值模拟中, 大量的具有随机幅度和相位的纵模在经历不平坦增益的多次放大之后, 只有在增益最大点附近的模式能够克服损耗成为输出模式. 实验中以掺铒光纤作为增益介质, 500 m散射光纤提供随机反馈, 窄带布拉格光纤光栅(FBG)作为波长选择器件, 得到线宽约3.5 kHz、对比度近50 dB的单模激光输出. 与采用相同长度SMF-28的随机激光器相比, 其阈值电流降低了80 mA, 相同抽运条件下的最大输出功率提高了3 dBm. 该单模窄线宽随机激光器的输出波长的调谐特性仅由FBG的中心波长决定.