Control of the characteristics of a long-period grating by cladding etching

We have analyzed the effects of the fiber cladding radius on the characteristics of long-period fiber gratings. By etching the cladding of a common single-mode fiber, we verified the characteristics experimentally. When by etching we reduce the cladding radius of a common single-mode fiber on which a long-period refractive-index modulation has been imposed, the coupling strength of the core and the cladding modes increases. In addition, the difference in the propagation constants (for a fixed wavelength) between the core mode and the cladding modes increases; hence the resonant transmission dip wavelengths shift to longer wavelengths. The proposed method can be useful in making and detuning long-period fiber grating filters.     

A new ultra long-period fiber grating for measuring torsional characteristics

In this paper, we proposed a novel kind of periodic helical ultra-long period fiber grating (U-LPFG) for measuring the torsion rate and distinguishing the torsion direction. The sensor was fabricated by spirally deforming a common fiber by local heating for 4 periods. This method of fabrication was not only easy to implement, but also further increased the sensitivity of the grating to the torsion because of the spiral structure. This paper introduced the torsional characteristics of this sensor in detail and drew some relevant conclusions. Experimental results showed that the twist sensitivity of 0.085?nm/(rad/m). Meanwhile, the temperature sensing characteristic of the proposed U-LPFG was also tested as 68?pm/°C within the range of 30?°C ～210?°C. Therefore, this proposed sensor could achieve good results in simultaneously measuring the torsion rate and distinguishing the torsion direction, and it may have great potential in some practical applications.     

Dependence of fringe spacing on the grating separation in a long-period fiber grating pair

The spectral spacing of the interference fringes formed by a pair of long-period fiber gratings was investigated. The variation of the fringe spacing was measured while the separation between the gratings was changed from 22 to 500 mm. When the grating separation was much longer than the length of the individual grating, the inverse of the fringe spacing became linearly proportional to the grating separation and to the differential effective group index of the fiber. In the third stop band of the grating pair, made along a dispersion-shifted fiber centered at 1.55 mum, the differential effective group index was calculated to be ~6.4 x 10(-3), which is approximately twice the differential effective index of the fiber. The discrepancy between the two indices was observed to decrease with the band order, a phenomenon that is explained by the first-order dispersion of the fiber. The measured interference fringes were not regularly spaced in the frequency domain, but regular spacing is required in wavelength-division multiplexing communication systems. Analysis of the second-order dispersion of the fiber and the grating-induced nonlinear phase shift within grating regions as the factors that induce chirping on the fringe spacing is presented.     

Refractometric sensor based on a phase-shifted long-period fiber grating

A refractometric sensor based on a phase-shifted long-period fiber grating written by electric-arc discharges is presented. Transmission and reflective configurations for refractive index measurements are studied. It is observed that the reflective topology permits better performance compared with the transmission one, which is the approach normally utilized in the context of long-period fiber sensing. The resolution achieved in the measurement of refractive index enables the application of this sensing head structure in demanding situations, such as the measurement of the level of salinity of water.     

Thermal tuning of mechanically induced long-period fiber grating

We have developed a wideband tunable optical filter that uses a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) in which both resonance wavelength and its signal attenuation can be adjusted. We create the grating mechanically by pressing a spring coil to an optical fiber. We achieve continuous fine tuning of wavelength and attenuation by varying the temperature of the LPFG. The adjustable ranges of the LPFG are more than 200 nm in resonance wavelength and more than 10 dB in signal attenuation.     

Optical coupling method utilizing a lensed fiber integrated with a long-period fiber grating

A novel optical coupling scheme that uses a lensed fiber integrated with a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) is proposed. Two experiments are performed to demonstrate the validity of such a scheme in single-mode-fiber-single-mode-fiber (SMF-to-SMF) and laser-diode-single-mode-fiber (LD-to-SMF) coupling setups. The measured results show that for an appropriate lens radius the addition of a LPFG will lead to a higher coupling efficiency over a longer range of working distance than without the LPFG. Coupling efficiencies of ~78% and 35% are achieved for corresponding working distances of ~250 and 110 mum, 1-dB longitudinal tolerances of ~40 and 26 mum, and 1-dB transverse tolerances of ~7.6 and 2.6 mum for SMF-to-SMF and LD-to-SMF, respectively.     

Characteristics of a long-period fiber grating with reduced cladding for refractive index sensing

The sensitivity to surrounding refractive index (SRI) of a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) can be effectively improved by decreasing the cladding radius. When the cladding is reduced, a three-layer model is necessary to evaluate the effective refractive index (ERI) of the core mode. A variation of SRI can induce a greater resonant wavelength shift when the core mode is coupled to a higher-order cladding mode. However, as the cladding is reduced further, the highest-order cladding mode would be cut off, i.e. the number of cladding modes that a given fiber structure can support would be less; thus, the higher-order cladding modes that can be used for higher sensitivity are limited. Hence, the implementation of high sensitivity for SRI sensing with cladding-reduced LPFGs is dependent on the proper combination of cladding radius and cladding mode order. Based on the vector coupled-mode theory, the transmission spectrum and sensitivity are numerically analyzed with respect to the cladding radius, which shows that the SRI sensitivity of the HE₁₂ mode with cladding radius a ₂?=?20?µm is 32 times as high as that with a ₂?=?62.5?µm and the SRI resolution is available to the order of 10^?7.     

Optical low-coherence reflectometry based on long-period grating Mach-Zehnder interferometers

The optical low-coherent interferometric technology for long-period grating (LPG) Mach-Zehnder interferometers is described. By including the coupling and recoupling behaviors of a LPG pair, a numerical model is developed to analyze the output reflectogram of the system. The effects of the grating interval, grating length, grating strength, and light source on the output reflectogram have been comprehensively discussed, which reveals that the low-coherence reflectometry offers the capability of interrogating the multiplexed sensors based on LPG pairs. A comparison of the calculated and experimental results is presented, and an excellent agreement between the simulation and the measurement is shown.     

Design and development of long-period grating sensors for temperature monitoring

Long Period Gratings (LPGs) have been developed using carbon dioxide laser in a standard optical fibre. LPGs with a periodicity of 600 μm and grating length of 24 mm have been inscribed on standard single mode fibre. Such gratings have been used in designing temperature sensors and temperature is monitored up to 80°C. The sensitivity of such type of sensor is 0·06 nm/°C where as for standard Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) it is 0·011 nm/°C. The LPG performance is also evaluated after γ-ray irradiation for total dose of 5 KGy and has not shown any effect on transmission spectrum.     

Sensing a wave front by use of a diffraction grating

A method is presented to sense the wave front at the exit of an optical surface. This method uses a set of diffracted rays generated when a He-Ne laser impinges on a rectangular diffraction grating. The grating was placed near the curvature center of the surface to be tested. After they are reflected in the test surface, the diffracted rays have the information of the slopes of the wave front, like in the Hartmann test. The Hartmann pattern was registered near the curvature center and captured with a CCD camera. The slopes for each ray are measured from the experimental pattern, and they are compared with the ideal ones simulated in a computer. The evaluation was carried out by use of Seidel polynomials to obtain the information of the aberrations of a mirror 53 cm in diameter.     

In-fiber reflection mode interferometer based on a long-period grating for external refractive-index measurement

We present two novel schemes for refractometry based on a long-period fiber grating- (LPG-) based Michelson interferometer. These schemes are designed to overcome the measurement dependence of previously demonstrated LPG-based refractometry on the immersion depth. The first utilizes an unshielded LPG and the second, a shielded one. Both schemes were tested over a certain refractive-index range, and the measurement of glucose concentration in water was experimentally demonstrated. In addition, the temperature sensitivity of the two schemes is discussed.     

Femtosecond pulse delivery using a chirped long-period grating of multi-mode fiber for mode conversion

A period-chirped long-period fiber grating (CLPFG), using ordinary multi-mode fiber (MMF), for broadband mode conversion (60 nm bandwidth of coupling efficiency >90%) has been proposed. Through using such a MMF-CLPFG, a broad-spectrum pulse can be converted into LP ₀₂ for femtosecond pulse distortion-free delivery in MMF. The simulation shows that the pulse suffers less nonlinear distortion than that in a single-mode fiber. In addition, the negative pre-chirp introduced by MMF-CLPFG can offset the linear and positive SPM-induced frequency chirp and thus compress the pulse. Using this scheme, an initial 18 kW peak power 75 fs pulse distortion-free delivery in MMF has been numerically demonstrated.     

Simultaneous temperature and strain measurements performed by a step-changed arc-induced long-period fiber grating

A compact sensor based on step-changed arc-induced long-period fiber gratings was implemented to discriminate between temperature and strain. The proposed sensor consists of a single long-period grating with two sections written consecutively in the SMF-28 fiber using the electric arc discharge technique. The two sections have the same period but different fabrication parameters. The operation of the sensor relies on the existence of a difference between the values of temperature and strain sensitivity of two neighboring resonances observed in the spectrum of the step-changed grating. The temperature and strain resolutions obtained for the sensor are 0.2 degrees C and 35 micro epsilon, respectively.     

Analysis of a long-period grating inscribed in the core of a fibre with inverse parabolic-index cladding

The operation of a long-period grating inscribed into the core of a single-mode fibre with the cladding having an inverse parabolic-index profile is theoretically investigated. Two-dimensional bidirectional mode expansion and propagation method is used to simulate mutual interaction of rotationally symmetric LP modes in the fibre. Numerical analysis has shown that the inverse parabolic-index profile of the cladding helps increase the sensitivity of a fibre as a refractometric sensor.     

Responses of a long-period grating fabricated in a graded-index optical fiber to temperature and refractive-index changes

Sensing experiments with a long-period grating (LPG) inscribed by a CO₂ laser in a single-mode fiber with an inverted-parabolic index profile in the fiber cladding were done. A single LPG with a period of 500 μm was used in experiments and spectral changes of the attenuation band centered at ≈1520 nm were measured. Responses of the LPG to temperature changes and temperature-induced refractive-index changes were investigated. An average shift of 0.56 nm/°C was obtained for the bare LPG and of 0.86 nm/°C for the LPG recoated with a polymeric layer. An overall shift of the central wavelengths was observed in experiments repeated after two weeks that can be attributed to post-curing processes in the polymeric layer.     

Ultra-widely tunable long-period holey-fiber grating by the use of mechanical pressure

We report an ultra-widely tunable long-period holey-fiber grating, which combines the wide-range single-mode behavior and transverse strain sensitivity of the holey fibers with the advantages of mechanically induced long-period fiber gratings. We obtain a versatile widely tunable long-period holey-fiber grating with attractive transmission spectral characteristics for optical communications, fiber-based amplifiers, and lasers. The mechanically induced long-period holey-fiber grating shows a continuous tuning range over 500 nm, more than 12 dB depth notches with less than 0.75 dB out-of-band losses, and bandwidth control from 10 to 40 nm.     

Mechanism and characteristics of asymmetrically phase-shifted corrugated long-period fiber grating fabricated by burning fiber coating and etching cladding technology

In this letter, a new phase-shifted corrugated long-period fiber grating (PS-CLPFG) manufacture method is proposed based on burning the fiber coating and etching cladding method. We analyze the effect of phase amplitude, locations, and numbers on transmission spectrum. A proof-of-concept experiment is performed, and a good agreement of theoretical analysis and experiment results is obtained. In addition, a relative easier method to control band-pass and band-rejection characteristics is reached. Moreover, the obvious sidelobes in the passband of multiple-π PS-CLPFG can be effectively suppressed.     

Evanescent wave long-period fiber bragg grating as an immobilized antibody biosensor

An immunosensor using a long-period grating (LPG) was used for sensitive detection of antibody-antigen reactions. Goat anti-human IgG (antibody) was immobilized on the surface of the LPG, and detection of specific antibody-antigen binding was investigated. This sensor operates using total internal reflection where an evanescent field interacts with bound antibody immobilized over the grating region. The reaction between antibody and antigen altered the LPG transmission spectrum and was monitored in real time as a change in refractive index, thereby eliminating the need for labeling antigen molecules. Human IgG binding was observed to be concentration dependent over a range of 2-100 microg mL-1, and equilibrium bound antigen levels could be attained in approximately 5 min using an initial rate determination. Binding specificity was confirmed using human interleukin-2 and bovine serum albumin as controls, and nonspecific adsorption of proteins did not significantly interfere with detection of binding. Antigen detection in a heterogeneous protein mixture and in crude cell lysate from Escherichia coli was also confirmed. Moreover, regeneration of the LPG surface via diethylamine treatment resulted in approximately 80% removal of bound antigen. Subsequently, fibers reexposed to antigen retained greater than 85% of the initial signal after five consecutive regeneration cycles.     

Analysis of cladding-mode couplings for a lensed fiber integrated with a long-period fiber grating by use of the beam-propagation method

The beam-propagation method (BPM) is employed to analyze the coupling behavior of our scheme proposed previously, which combines a lensed fiber and a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) [Chen and Wang, Appl. Opt. 39,4490-4500 (2000)]. The influences of a core within the fiber lens are investigated. As for the fiber dependence of our coupling scheme, two typical fibers are studied: dispersion-shifted and single-mode, step-index fibers. With the BPM, the optimal coupling efficiencies for various source waists with corresponding lens radii and working distances are determined. We also compare the results with those obtained by use of the ABCD method and found that the BPM gives better agreement with experimental results.     

All-fiber dynamic gain equalizer based on a twisted long-period grating written by high-frequency CO2 laser pulses

A novel dynamic gain equalizer for flattening Er-doped fiber amplifiers based on a twisted long-period fiber grating (LPFG) induced by high-frequency CO(2) laser pulses is reported for the first time to our knowledge. Experimental results show that its transverse-load sensitivity is up to 0.34 dB/(g.mm(-1)), while the twist ratio of the twisted LPFG is approximately 20 rad/m, which is 7 times higher than that of a torsion-free LPFG. In addition, it is found that the strong orientation dependence of the transverse-load sensitivity of the torsion-free LPFG reported previously has been weakened considerably. Therefore such a dynamic gain equalizer based on the unique transverse-load characteristics of the twisted LPFG provides a much larger adjustable range and makes packaging of the gain equalizer much easier. A demonstration has been carried out to flatten an Er-doped fiber amplifier to +/-0.5 dB over a 32 nm bandwidth.