Absolute fast axis determination using non-polarization-maintaining fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

We report on a new calibration technique that permits the accurate extraction of sample Jones matrix and hence fast-axis orientation by using fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) that is completely based on non-polarization-maintaining fiber such as SMF-28. In this technique, two quarter-wave plates (QWPs) are used to completely specify the parameters of the system fibers in the sample arm so that the Jones matrix of the sample can be determined directly. The device was validated on measurements of a QWP and an equine tendon sample by a single-mode fiber-based swept-source PS-OCT system.     

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.     

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.     

Quasi-Rayleigh light scattering by internal elements of a metamaterial in a light-carrying core of a single-mode optical fiber based on the Veselago effect

At present, single-mode optical fibers composed of metamaterials—so-called “left-handed” optical media—for the far- and mid-IR ranges have already been created. In the near future, left-handed singlemode optical fibers for the visible and near-IR ranges will be created, light-carrying cores of which will be composed by an ordered structure of dielectric elements, the dimensions of which will be much smaller than the light wavelength, while the effective refractive index of the structure will be negative; i.e., the structure will possess the so-called “Veselago effect.” We show that, because the dimensions of these dielectric elements many times exceed the dimensions of molecules of optical media, the elements should strongly scatter light, with this scattering considerably exceeding the Rayleigh (molecular) light scattering that occurs in conventional quartz single-mode optical fibers. We propose to term this phenomenon the quasi-Rayleigh light scattering. Numerical estimates of the quasi-Rayleigh light scattering for left-handed single-mode optical fibers at a light wavelength of λ = 1.55 μm have been made.     

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.     

全固双层芯色散补偿光子晶体光纤的研究与设计

为了补偿光纤色散对高速信号传输的限制,提出一种全固双层芯色散补偿光子晶体光纤.首先对该光纤模式耦合特性进行理论分析,然后利用多极法进行模拟计算,得到该光纤包层结构参数与色散值以及相位匹配波长之间的关系,并对其规律进行研究.通过优化光纤结构参数,得到在1 550nm处,色散值达到-32 620ps/(nm·km)、损耗为0.29dB/km、与标准单模光纤的熔接损耗为4.77dB的色散补偿光纤.该光纤可补偿1 910多倍长度的SMF-28单模光纤的色散,补偿能力远大于常规色散补偿光纤.与空气孔-石英结构色散补偿光子晶体光纤相比,全固色散补偿光子晶体光纤具有易制备、易与传统通信光纤熔接等优点.     

Quasi-solitonic behavior of self-written waveguides created by photopolymerization

We investigated the condition of unique self-written channel and multichannel propagation inside bulk photopolymerizable materials. Light was introduced in the medium by a single-mode optical fiber. At a very low beam power of 5 muW , a unique uniform-channel waveguide without any broadening was obtained by polymerization. When the input power is increased to 100 muW , the guide becomes chaotic and multichannel. We connected two fibers separated by a 1-cm distance. The results open the door to studies of the optical and electro-optical properties of photopolymerized guides doped by nonlinear optical chromophores and to possible applications in integrated optical devices.     

Q-switched thulium-doped photonic crystal fiber laser

We report a novel, Tm-doped photonic crystal fiber (PCF) actively Q-switched oscillator that provides ~8.9 kW peak power with 435 μJ, 49 ns pulses at 10 kHz repetition rate at 2 μm wavelength. This fiber has a mode-field area >1000 μm2, the largest of any flexible PCF providing diffraction-limited beam quality to the best of our knowledge. As an application, the oscillator is used as pump to generate >350 nm broadening in ~50 m of SMF-28 fiber.     

Stimulated four-photon mixing and efficient polychromatic visible light generation in SiO2−based single-mode optical fibers pumped at 1.319 μm

Abstract

The generation of near-infrared and intense visible light through stimulated multi-wave mixing processes in single-mode silica-based optical fibers pumped by a Q-switched and mode-locked Nd:YAG laser operated at 1.319 μm is described. The experimental results show that intense infrared light around 1.2 μm is produced via selp-hase-matched four-photon mixing at the minimum group velocity dispersion region of pure SiO₂?core and P₂O₅?doped silica fibers. In the visible spectral region, from 580 nm to 600 nm, 20 W peak power 100-ps pulses were generated by pumping single spans of single-mode P₂O₅?doped and undoped SiO₂?core fibers with 1.319-μm laser pulses. The signal light generated in such fibers propagated in the LP₀₂ fiber mode and exhibited a threshold power that depended upon the fiber length and a critical length that was power dependent. Also, it exhibited an asymmetrical spectrum of a few nanometers bandwidth, with a long tail toward high frequencies. For GeO₂?doped silica-based fibers, a multiple-wavelength visible signal propagating in several high-order fiber modes was generated.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

硅衬底上锗硅合金光波导的研制

报道锗硅合金在λ＝１．３μｍ的脊形单模光波导的设计，工艺及测量结果。这种光波导的传播损耗已达０．７ｄＢ／ｃｍ。脊形的高４－８μｍ，宽８－１２μｍ，均和单模光纤芯径相当，此外，其数值孔径在光波导的输入，输出端均能和单模光纤匹配，它已满足硅光集成对光波导的要求。文中最后报道了用这种锗硅合金光波导试制Ｙ分支器，并观察到二支分路输出的单模光斑。     

光子晶体光纤弯曲损耗特性研究

对光子晶体光纤的损耗特性进行了分析,并在实验上对两种典型的光子带隙型和全内反射型光子晶体光纤进行了研究.分别对两种不同结构的光子晶体光纤在弯曲半径2~15 mm范围内的损耗进行了测量.与传统光纤损耗实验结果的对比表明,两种光子晶体光纤的弯曲损耗均不明显,具有很强的抗弯曲损耗能力.实验也证实了光子晶体光纤弯曲损耗存在临界弯曲半径,在大于临界半径的情况下,几乎没有弯曲损耗.从结构上分析并证明光子晶体光纤弯曲损耗随填充比(d/Λ)的增加而减小,填充比越高弯曲损耗越小.     

Time-resolved spectroscopy and optical gain of silica-based fibers co-doped with Bi, Al and/or Ge, P, and Ti

The optical properties of optical fibers based on silica glass doped with bismuth and co-doped with aluminum oxides and/or germanium, phosphorus, and titanium oxides are studied. The optical loss and luminescence spectra of optical fibers substantially depend on the core composition. The gain spectra of single-mode optical fibers are measured in the IR range. It is demonstrated that the phosphorus-germanium-silicate optical fiber doped with bismuth exhibits a broad gain band (1270–1520 nm) when pumped at a wavelength of 1230 nm. It is also shown that the bismuth-aluminosilicate optical fibers additionally doped with Ge or Ti at about 1 at % have the gain spectra that are significantly narrower than the IR luminescence spectra (in contrast to the fibers that do not contain Ge and Ti). The intensity decay curves of the IR luminescence in such fibers indicate the presence of both short-lived (with the lifetime τ≤4 μs) and long-lived (τ ～ 1 ms) energy levels in the bismuth active centers.     

用三干涉臂马赫-曾德尔干涉仪制成的光纤密集型波分复用器

提出一种新型的光纤干涉仪 ,它是采用二个 3× 3单模光纤耦合器组成三光纤系统的马赫 -曾德尔 (Mach- Zehnder)干涉仪 ,当干涉仪的三条光纤干涉臂两两之间分别存在长度差Δ L和2Δ L时 ,干涉仪形成了一个波分复用间隔相等的三波分复用器 ,波分复用的波长间隔仅仅取决于ΔL的大小。实验样品的使用波段为 1.55μm,波长复用间隔为 1.6 nm,附加损耗为 0 .6 d B。     

Power transfer characteristics among N parallel single-mode optical fibers

Based on the coupled-mode theory, the power transfer among “- - -” arranged parallel single-mode optical fibers has been investigated. The analysis shows that the distances between each two of the N fibers centers have effects on the coupling coefficient and power transfer. The solution of the coupled equations for three parallel single-mode optical fibers is given, and is studied for different initial conditions comparatively. Numerical simulations show that power transfer will be periodical during coupling among parallel single-mode optical fibers. These results can be extended to multi-parallel single-mode optical fibers.     

Comparative investigation of long-wave infrared generation based on ZnGeP2 and CdSe optical parametric oscillators

Long-wave infrared(IR) generation based on type-II(o→e+o) phase matching ZnGeP 2(ZGP) and CdSe optical parametric oscillators(OPOs) pumped by a 2.05 μm Tm,Ho:GdVO 4 laser is reported.The comparisons of the birefringent walk-off effect and the oscillation threshold between ZGP and CdSe OPOs are performed theoretically and experimentally.For the ZGP OPO,up to 419 mW output at 8.04 μm is obtained at the 8 kHz pump pulse repetition frequency(PRF) with a slope efficiency of 7.6%.This ZGP OPO can be continuously tuned from 7.8 to 8.5 μm.For the CdSe OPO,we demonstrate a 64 mW output at 8.9 μm with a single crystal 28 mm in length.     

Power transfer characteristics among N parallel single-mode optical fibers

Based on the coupled-mode theory, the power transfer among “- - - -” arranged parallel single-mode optical fibers has been investigated. The analysis shows that the distances between each two of the N fiber centers have effects on the coupling coefficient and power transfer. The solution of the coupled-equations for three parallel single-mode optical fibers is given, and is studied for different initial conditions comparatively. Numerical simulations show that power transfer will be periodical during coupling among parallel single-mode optical fibers. These results can be extended to multi-parallel single-mode optical fibers.     

一种新型的光纤锥形耦合器

提出了一种光纤波导折射率渐变的新型锥形（Taper）耦合器件，其原理是基于光纤中Ge缺陷在紫外光照射下而产生的光致折射率的变化。利用光纤在高压、低温下渗氢技术使单模光纤的光致折射率变化△n达6×10-3数量级；通过控制曝光条件就可以在光纤中产生一定规律的锥形结构，使单模光纤的模场半径由4．8μm缩小到3．2μm。由耦合波理论分析表明该器件具有较好的基模传输特性。