Light level control in birefringent fibres through thermal stress effects caused by the absorption of broadside incident light: a single-ended fibre-optic system

In this paper, light level control is demonstrated using optically induced thermal stress effects in a polarization-maintaining optical fibre. The controlling light beam is absorbed by a blackened segment of the fibre and produces local heating. Light control is demonstrated in the single-ended sensor configuration, which displays a response that cannot be explained from phase delays only, but requires the addition of the coupled mode theory.