Three-dimensional phase step profilometry with a multicore optical fiber

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of using phase stepping and a multicore optical fiber to calculate an object's depth profile. An interference pattern is projected by an optical fiber onto the object. The distorted interference pattern containing the object information is captured by a CCD camera and processed using a phase step interferometry method. The phase step method is less computationally intensive compared to two-dimensional Fourier transform profilometry and provides more accuracy when measuring objects of high frequency spatial variations.     

Embedded multicore hollow fiber with high birefringence

We fabricate and demonstrate a hollow fiber with multiple embedded cores (MCHF) based on a modified "suspended core-in-tube" preform technique. Its birefringence properties are controlled by the MCHF core's ovality, which could be controlled by the applied pressure and drawing temperature in the MCHF preform. An in-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer with 90.38% visibility is built by fuse-tapering a single-mode fiber to the MCHF, and the splice loss is less than 2 dB. We expect that the proposed MCHF has some potential applications in in-fiber interferometers without the polarization-induced fading problem and in the biosensing area.     

Broadband emission from a multicore fiber fabricated with granulated oxides

We demonstrate a multicore multidopant fiber which, when pumped with a single pump source around approximately 800 nm, emits a more than one octave-spanning fluorescence spectrum ranging from 925 to 2300 nm. The fiber preform is manufactured from granulated oxides and the individual cores are doped with five different rare earths, i.e., Nd3+, Yb3+, Er3+, Ho3+, and Tm3+.     

Transverse load and orientation measurement with multicore fiber Bragg gratings

We demonstrate the sensitivity of Bragg gratings in a multicore fiber to transverse load. The Bragg peaks are split because of stress-induced birefringence, the magnitude of which depends upon the load and grating position relative to the load axis. Experiments show that a set of gratings in a four-core fiber can measure a load axis angle to +/- 5 degrees and a load magnitude to +/- 15 N m(-1) up to 2500 N m(-1). We consider alternative designs of multicore fiber for optimal load sensing and compare experimental and modeled data.     

Bitapered fiber coupling characteristics between single-mode single-core fiber and single-mode multicore fiber

By splicing and tapering at the fusion point of one-core single-mode fiber and three- or four-core single-mode fiber, an effective bitapered fiber coupling technique is implemented. Based on the beam propagation method, the bitapered coupling characteristics between the one-core fiber and the multicore single-mode fiber are simulated and analyzed. The theoretical prediction is confirmed by the experimental results, and the difference between the simulation and the experimental results is also discussed.     

Depth resolution enhancement in optical scanning holography with a dual-wavelength laser source

In this paper, we use two point sources to analyze the depth resolution of an optical scanning holography (OSH) system with a single-wavelength source. A dual-wavelength source is then employed to improve it, where this dual-wavelength OSH (DW-OSH) system is modeled with a linear system of equations. Object sectioning in DW-OSH is obtained with the Fourier domain conjugate gradient method. Simulation results show that, with the two source wavelengths at 543 nm and 633 nm, a depth resolution at 2.5 μm can be achieved. Furthermore, an OSH system emulator is provided to demonstrate the performance of DW-OSH compared with a conventional OSH system.     

Optical sectioning by optical scanning holography and a Wiener filter

I propose a novel digital technique that reduces defocus noise in the reconstruction of the sectional images from the complex hologram of a thick object. In three-dimensional microscopy applications of holography, reducing the defocused light scattered from outside the focused plane is an important issue. In this technique I first extract a complex hologram of a thick object by using optical scanning holography. After that, I separate the power spectra of the focused and defocused planes from the complex hologram. Finally, I construct a Wiener filter by use of the power spectra. The Wiener filter reduces the defocus noise in the reconstruction of the sectional image of the focused plane. Computer simulations show that the proposed Wiener filter reduces the defocus noise and provides the sectional images.     

In-phase supermode selection in a multicore fiber laser array by means of a self-Fourier external cavity

A procedure is developed to determine the transverse-mode structure of a cavity consisting of a dense, evanescently coupled, waveguide laser array, which, in addition, is externally coupled by feedback from an external cavity. The formalism is used to determine the loss and phasing properties of a multicore fiber array coupled to an external self-Fourier cavity. Best performance is predicted for linear arrays of up to five cores, or two-dimensional arrays of up to 25 cores. A low-loss, in-phase, fundamental array mode is predicted, which achieves better than 30 dB discrimination against higher-order modes at periodically spaced values of the array length. However, we show that a shift in operating wavelength of typically a few nanometers can bring about near-perfect phasing and loss operation over a continuum of fiber lengths. With increased fill factor, significantly more of the output power can be concentrated in the central lobe of the far field but at the penalty of increased loss in the fundamental eigenmode.     

Three-dimensional remote sensing by optical scanning holography

A technique is presented by which holograms can be recorded when an object or scene is scanned with an optically heterodyned Fresnel zone pattern. The experimental setup, based on optical scanning holography, is described and experimental results are presented. We apply the scanning holography technique to three-dimensional reflective objects for the first time to our knowledge and address the unique requirements for such a system. We discuss holographic recording and numerical image reconstruction using a system point-spread function (PSF) approach. We demonstrate numerical image reconstruction of experimentally recorded holograms by two techniques: deconvolution with a simulated PSF and an experimentally acquired PSF.     

Two-color mid-infrared thermometer with a hollow glass optical fiber

We have developed a low-temperature optical-fiber-based two-color infrared thermometer. A single 700-mum-bore hollow glass optical fiber collects and transmits radiation that is then modulated and split into two paths by a reflective optical chopper. Two different thermoelectrically cooled mid-infrared HgCdZnTe photoconductors monitor the chopped signals that are recovered with lock-in amplification. With the two previously obtained blackbody calibration equations, a computer algorithm calculates the true temperature and emissivity of a target in real time, taking into account reflection of the ambient radiation field from the target surface. The small numerical aperture of the hollow glass fiber and the fast response of the detectors, together with the two-color principle, permit high spatial and temporal resolution while allowing the user to dynamically alter the fiber-to-target distance.     

Radio-frequency matched filtering by photorefractive optical holography

Matched filtering of megahertz-bandwidth signals by use of holograms recorded in a photorefractive crystal is demonstrated. Holographic recording of rapidly varying signals has heretofore been hampered by the relatively slow response of photorefractive crystals. For the first time, to our knowledge, synchronization between waveforms and short optical sampling pulses is used with acousto-optic electrical-to-optical conversion to build up static holograms of rf waveforms in a SBN crystal. Readout with a continuous input signal yields a time-resolved correlation with stored waveforms.     

Fabrication and optical characteristics of a novel optical fiber doped with the Au nanoparticles

Optical fibers containing gold metal nanoparticles were developed by modified chemical vapor deposition, in which Au(OH)3 and tetraethyl-orthosilicate (TEOS) was used via sol-gel process to incorporate gold metals by providing the reduction atmosphere. The absorption peak appeared near 490 nm was found to be due to the surface plasmon resonance of the gold nanoparticles incorporated in the fiber core.     

Measuring optical fiber length by use of a short-pulse optical fiber ring laser in a self-injection seeding scheme

A method for measuring the length of an optical fiber by use of an optical fiber ring laser pulse source is proposed and demonstrated. The key element of the optical fiber ring laser is a gain-switched Fabry-Perot laser diode operated in a self-injection seeding scheme. This method is especially suitable for measuring a medium or long fiber, and a resolution of 0.1 m is experimentally achieved. The measurement is implemented by accurately determining the pulse frequency that can maximize the output power of the fiber ring laser. The measurement results depend only on the refractive index of the fiber corresponding to this single wavelength, instead of the group index of the fiber, which represents a great advantage over both optical time-domain reflectometry and optical low-coherence reflectometry methods.     

Multiplexing of optical fiber gas sensors with a frequency-modulated continuous-wave technique

We report on the use of a frequency-modulated continuous-wave technique for multiplexing optical fiber gas sensors. The sensor network is of a ladder topology and is interrogated by a tunable laser. The system performance in terms of detection sensitivity and cross talk between sensors was investigated and found to be limited by coherent mixing between signals from different channels. The system performance can be improved significantly by use of appropriate wavelength modulation-scanning coupled with low-pass filtering. Computer simulation shows that an array of 37 acetylene sensors with a detection accuracy of 2000 parts in 10(6) for each sensor may be realized. A two-sensor acetylene detection system was experimentally demonstrated that had a detection sensitivity of 165 parts in 10(6) for 2.5-cm gas cells (or a minimum detectable absorbance of 2.1 x 10(-4)) and a cross talk of -25 dB.     

Fabrication of a polymer-coated silver hollow optical fiber with high performance

The techniques for fabricating a hollow optical fiber with an inner silver layer and a cyclic olefin polymer (COP) layer have been improved to reduce the surface roughness of these two layers. The loss spectrum was thereby drastically reduced over a wide wavelength range, from visible to near infrared. Optimization of the COP layer thickness resulted in low loss simultaneously at several key laser wavelengths. Infrared hollow fiber with low loss was developed for Er:YAG and Nd:YAG lasers. It can also deliver green and red pilot beams with low loss. Use of this fiber in therapeutic and pilot lasers should prove useful for research and development in laser medicine.     

Simultaneous two-dimensional endoscopic pulsed digital holography for evaluation of dynamic displacements

An endoscope is used in pulsed digital holography to simultaneously evaluate in-plane and out- of-plane transient and harmonic displacements on a flat metallic plate. The plate is illuminated from two different directions. The optical path for each illumination direction is matched to its corresponding reference beam, but also in such a way that each object-reference beam pair optical path is mismatched such that they are incoherent and can be stored in a single CCD frame. As is typical in these types of interferometric arrangement, two digital holograms are needed to compare two different states of the plate. Each hologram is Fourier transformed and due to the incoherence introduced, two separate spectra are readily identified, each belonging to an object-reference beam pair. On comparing by subtraction the phase obtained from the two pulsed digital holograms, it is possible to gather quantitative in-plane and out-of- plane results from transient and harmonic displacements.     

Eigenmode geometry in a high-birefringence optical fiber

A new method for determining the weights of eigenmodes in a weakly multimode optical fiber with strong linear anisotropy is developed using the geometric approach. The proposed method is based on the measurement of geometric parameters of the lines of equal intensity (isolines) in the vicinity of a zero point of the field intensity distribution pattern at the output face of the fiber. Using this method, the weights of eigenmodes in a fiber have been determined upon computer processing of the experimental images of intensity distributions observed upon displacement of a probing laser beam relative to the center of the input face. The results are compared to theoretically calculated weights of the eigenmodes.     

Thermal characteristics of optical pulse transit time delay and fiber strain in a single-mode optical fiber cable

Thermal characteristics of optical pulse transit time delay and fiber strain in a single-mode optical fiber cable are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Measurements of the transit time delay shift are made by a spatial interference technique using a 1.5-in long fiber, six-fiber unit, and cable. Experimental results for a jacketed fiber whose fiber axis is well centered in nylon coating are in good agreement with those predicted from the theory. A jacketed fiber whose fiber axis is positioned eccentrically from the jacket center exhibits a small change in fiber strain at low temperature due to fiber buckling compared with that for the well-centered jacketed fiber. The loss increase for the off-centered jacketed fiber is explained by the buckling model. Furthermore, thermal characteristics of the unit-type cable examined here are found to coincide with those for the constituent six-fiber unit.