Design of a miniature lens for semiconductor laser to single-mode fiber coupling

A design method for a miniature optical lens tipped on a single-mode fiber end to improve power coupling from a semiconductor laser is described. The lens shapes studied are hemispherical, hemicylindrical, and hemiellipsoidal. The optimum coupling conditions and the obtained coupling efficiency are represented in terms of laser beam and fiber parameters. Preferable ranges of hemispherical and hemicylindrical lenses are classified according to the laser and fiber mode spot sizes. Fiber axis offset and tilt effects on coupling efficiency are also studied.     

多模与单模光纤级联系统对激光束的传输

分析了激光束在光纤中的非线性传输损耗,理论上证明了受激布里渊散射(SBS)是光纤传输能力的主要限制因素;实验上在532nm波段对长度为5m,纤芯半径为1.75μm,数值孔径(NA)为0.11的单模光纤的传输能力进行了测定,结果与理论一致。采用模场耦合理论,推导出多模光纤与单模光纤的直接耦合效率表达式,计算得到耦合效率与所选用的多模光纤和单模光纤的纤芯芯径之间的模拟关系。激光器输出波长为532nm;多模光纤的数值孔径为0.11,纤芯半径为12.5μm;单模光纤的数值孔径为0.11,纤芯半径为1.75μm,实验结果与理论基本吻合。根据理论和实验结果,设计出多模光纤与单模光纤混合传输方案,在柔性传输较高激光功率的同时可以得到高光束质量。     

Efficient power coupling from a 980-nm, broad-area laser to asingle-mode fiber using a wedge-shaped fiber endface

A theoretical and experimental study of an efficient technique for coupling a broad-area laser to a single-mode fiber without the use of bulk optical components was carried out. The technique uses a wedge-shaped fiber endface to approximate a cylindrical lens action to correct for the phase mismatch between the curved laser beam wavefront and the planar fiber beam. A theoretical formula for the coupling efficiency in the absence of both angular and transverse misalignments is derived. By optimizing the wedge angle and the axial separation between the laser facet and the fiber endface, a maximum coupling efficiency of 47%, compared to 20% for the square endface, achieved, resulting in 15.2 mW of power in the single-mode fiber. The fabrication process consists of a simple polishing procedure requiring a wedge-shaped polishing tool and is highly reproducible     

Asymmetric fiber microlenses for efficient coupling to ellipticallaser beams

It is demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate asymmetric hyperbolic microlenses directly on the ends of single-mode optical fiber to enhance the fiber's coupling to elliptical laser beams. The lenses, with controlled eccentricity ratios, are made by micromachining the end of the fiber with a pulsed CO₂ laser, as the fiber is directed by computer control about the focussed laser beam. Coupling efficiencies of 84% (-0.74 dB) have been realized with single transverse mode lasers at a wavelength of 0.98 μm having an approximately 3 to 1 beam ellipticity. With multitransverse-mode lasers at 1.48 μm having similar ellipticities, the asymmetric lenses demonstrate a 2-dB increase in coupling efficiency over symmetric hyperbolic microlenses. The authors have coupled about 120 mW from such a 360 mW laser, used to pump erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, into single-mode fiber     

Characteristics of a hemispherical microlens for coupling between a semiconductor laser and single-mode fiber

A hemispherical microlens is fabricated on the end of a single-mode fiber by an electric arc discharge technique. It improves coupling efficiency between InGaAsP lasers with buried heterostructure geometry and single-mode fiber. The lowest coupling loss of 2.9 dB is achieved with the optimum lens radius of 8.5 μm. This loss is 4.4 dB lower than that with a butt joint. Experimental results of coupling efficiency and alignment tolerances in coupling with different lens radii in the range of3.5-17 mum are discussed in detail. The results are in good agreement with theoretical values derived by Gaussian beam and paraxial ray approximations.     

High-speed picosecond optical pulse compression from gain-switched 1.3-µm distributed feedback-laser diode (DFB-LD) through highly dispersive single-mode fiber

Picosecond optical pulse compression characteristics of chirped pulses from gain-switched distributed feedback-laser diodes (DFB-LD) transmitting through highly dispersive media are studied theoretically and experimentally. It is clarified theoretically that gain-switched chirped pulses can be compressed to about a 0.7-time bandwidth product by normal dispersion of the dispersive media and that the optimum dispersion value to obtain a minimum compressed pulse is proportional to the square of original pulsewidth. Through a dispersion, shifted single-mode fiber with -48-ps/nm normal dispersion at a 1.3-μm wavelength, gain-switched 30-ps (FWHM) pulses from a directly modulated 1.3-μm DFB-LD at a 4.4-GHz repetition rate have been successfully compressed to 6.4-ps optical pulses with a 0.86-time bandwidth product. Experimental results agree with the theoretical analysis.     

半导体激光器与光纤耦合系统的研究

采用的耦合系统考虑了耦合方式的简单可行性，耦合系统各个元件的位置和离轴透镜的离轴角度对耦合效率的影响。并且利用高斯传输定理、模式匹配原理和矩阵光学的理论加以分析和解释，得出对半导体激光器与光纤耦合系统结构的设计具有指导意义的结论，对提高半导体激光器与光纤耦合系统的耦合效率提供理论依据。     

用腐蚀熔融法制造单模激光二极管与单模光纤相耦合的半球微透镜

近年来由于单模光纤研究的极大成功，促进了单模光纤通信系统和单模光纤应用技术的迅速发展。单模光纤的实际损耗已降到接近理论值，因此为进一步改善单模光纤传输系统的信噪比，提高激     

Experimental integrated optic circuit losses and fiber pigtailing of chips

Experimental integrated optic circuit losses, including waveguide bend, waveguide offsets, metal electrodes, and fiber-to-channel coupling, are presented. Coupling measurements from single-mode fibers to straight waveguides show losses less than 1 dB. Integrated optic circuit losses due to waveguide bends and offsets were calculated and measured; these data are in excellent agreement. A four-sectionDeltabetareversal switch has been permanently coupled to single-mode fiber pigtails with coupling losses approaching the measured optimum and theoretically predicted value.     

Design optimization of wedge-shaped lensed fibers for fiber-laser coupling: Fresnel reflection and non-Gaussian mode effects

Two approaches, i.e., a diffraction model considering Fresnel reflection and a paraxial beam propagation method are utilized to optimize the design of wedge-shaped lensed fibers for coupling between laser diodes of highly asymmetrical beam and single-mode fibers. It is demonstrated for the first time that, in contrast to the prevailing view, the non-Gaussian fiber-mode shape modification by the wedged fiber tip greatly reduces the coupling efficiency when the wedge angle is relatively large, while the Fresnel reflection is found to play an insignificant role. The fundamental cause of the non-Gaussian shape effect is fully explored and, consequently, a novel design is proposed to suppress this effect and increase coupling efficiency. Moreover, the novel design is relatively simple, and it does not complicate the fiber tip fabrication process.     

High-coupling tapered hyperbolic fiber microlens and taper asymmetry effect

This paper proposes a new scheme of a tapered hyperbolic-end fiber (THEF) microlens for efficient coupling between laser diode and single-mode fiber. The THEFs were fabricated by symmetrically tapering the fiber during the etching process and hyperbolically lensing the tip during the fusing process. The hyperbolic microlenses of the THEFs have demonstrated up to 82% coupling efficiency for a laser with an aspect ratio of 1:1.5. The influence of tapering asymmetry on the coupling has also been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The axially symmetrical tapered microlenses of the THEFs showed far-field profiles well approximated by a Gaussian profile, while the asymmetric taper deviated significantly from a Gaussian profile. The coupling efficiency for both symmetrical and asymmetrical microlenses were calculated based on the Fresnel diffraction theory and the results were in good agreement with the measurements. This study makes it possible to fabricate the hyperbolic microlenses using unique etching and fusion techniques that result in a more than 2 dB improvement in coupling efficiency when compared to the currently available hemispherical microlenses.     

球面分布的半导体激光二极管阵列泵浦结构的研究

一个用来泵浦的半导体激光二极管堆栈包括8个半导体激光二极管阵列。这些阵列排布在一个球面上,每个bar条的输出激光被离轴压缩来实现高效率的耦合。半导体激光二极管堆栈的输出光束由一个空心导光管耦合到激光工作介质上。针对用于耦合半导体激光二极管堆栈的空心导光管进行了几何光学和光线追迹的分析。几何光学的分析揭示了耦合损耗的原因,并用来指导结构的设计。光线追迹分析结构参数和泵浦系统的输出特性,用来指导耦合系统参数的优化。模拟和分析结果表明,将半导体激光二极管阵列排布程球面可以提高偶和效率,降低最优化的导光管长度,改善输出能量场的分布。     

自适应光学校正下空间光通信的光纤耦合效率及斯特列尔比

采用光纤部件的自由空间光通信系统需要把接收到的光束耦合进单模光纤中,然而由于大气湍流的影响,使光纤耦合效率下降。自适应光学能够减小大气湍流效应,提高光纤耦合效率,根据大气湍流参数的空间光到单模光纤耦合效率表达式,得到了自适应光学校正下单模光纤耦合效率表达式,仿真结果显示:自适应光学能够增加空间相干长度,从而有效提高光纤耦合效率。同时还研究了斯特列尔比与耦合效率的关系,结果表明:无论有无自适应光学校正,两者都具有很好的拟合关系,因此在实际中可以用比较简单的斯特列尔比近似估计耦合效率。     

基于双色镜的2.3 kW光纤激光光束合成

基于双色镜的光谱合成技术可突破单个光纤激光器输出功率极限的限制，是获得高功率、高光束质量激光输出的有效技术手段。理论上，初步探究了参与合成的光束位置偏移及倾斜误差对合成光束质量的影响，结果表明光束倾斜误差对合成系统的输出特性影响显著。实验上，开展了两路窄线宽光纤激光器的合成实验，使用双色镜作为合成元件，获得了最大输出功率为2355 W的高光束质量共孔径合成输出，光束质量M2为1.9，合成效率大于99%，实验验证了双色镜在反射和透射情况下具有较高的效率。通过进一步提高单路光纤激光的输出功率或增加合成路数，可以实现更高功率和更好光束质量的共孔径激光输出。     

利用单透镜结构实现自由空间激光进入单模光纤的耦合研究

自由空间激光与光纤的高效耦合可大幅降低激光 能量损耗。基于高斯光束通过透镜的传输规律,分 析经过单透镜变换后的激光光束特性,即像方激光光束特性。对自由空间激光与单模光纤的 优化耦合进行研究。通过分析匹配单透镜参数对像方光束的影响, 选择单透镜合适焦距参数,实现激光与光纤参数的高效匹配,满足激光光束的像方腰斑小于 10 μm且数值孔 径小于0.12。通过实例,分析采用焦距为5mm的单透镜对780 nm空间激光到单模光纤的耦合效 率,结果表明自由空间激光到单模光纤的耦合效率高达90%。该耦合 系统结构简单,可实现激光由自由空间到至光纤的高效率传输。     

Spectral beam combining of a single-mode 980-nm laser array for pumping of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers

With a view to improve the power level and brightness of semiconductor pump lasers, we have resorted to a scalable implementation and achieved spectral beam combining through a low-quality-factor external cavity. For that purpose, a high-power single-mode laser array emitting up to 2.1 W at 3.2 A at 980 nm has been realized, which delivers 1.5 W in external cavity. A power of 0.66 W was finally coupled into the single-mode fiber, with a coupling efficiency of 44%. Pumping experiments of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier utilizing this laser have demonstrated efficiency and noise characteristics similar to what is usually obtained with conventional sources, with the noteworthy advantage of a lower gain excursion over the C-band.     

The optimum power coupling from GaAs lasers into spherical-ended fibers

The optimum coupling efficiency from a GaAs laser into a spherical-ended fiber is theoretically computed by the Gaussian beam approximation for describing the laser source and by the ray-tracing method for calculating the maximum acceptance angle of the fiber. An improvement factor of 1.6 in the coupling efficiency is experimentally measured and 1.8 is expected from the theory. Neglecting reflection losses, the result of calculations indicate that a coupling efficiency near 100 percent can be achieved by the proper use of spherical lenses with low-divergence laser sources.     

Mode excitation theory and experiment of single-mode fiber directional coupler with strong coupling

The mode excitation theory is presented to analyze single-mode optical fiber directional couplers with transverse strong coupling, which either the weakly coupling theory or the ray theory fails to expound. By using the equivalence between the waveguides with square and circular cross sections, regarding the coupling zone of the coupler as a single waveguide, the excitation coefficients of the propagation modes in the coupling zone excited by the modes in the input waveguide have been evaluated. The theoretical coupling amount and insertion loss have been studied. Using a special monitoring technique to control the coupling length, several couplers with various coupling amounts have been made by the polishing method. The spectral characteristic of the coupling amount has been measured and compared with the theoretically inferred result. The two are found to agree with each other. The offset effect on the coupling amount has also been measured and it is different from that of the weak coupling device-the Stanford coupler.     

激光二极管与单模保偏光纤的耦合研究

给出了一种处理激光二极管经透镜与单模保偏光纤耦合的精确方法,测量了半导体激光器的光束质量,对其光束的收集、准直、整形、聚焦和耦合进入光纤进行了实验研究,同时测量了整形系统和光纤的定位灵敏度.对球面微透镜光纤与激光二极管耦合的方法进行了理论分析,讨论了透镜参数、耦合形式、激光二极管波像散对耦合效率和特性的影响,给出了2种实际耦合系统的实验计算结果,并与理论计算作了比较,结合实验得到了微透镜的优化参数,且将结果应用到了激光二极管与单模保偏光纤耦合实验中,得到了总的耦合效率为36%.     

Analysis and evaluation of graded-index fiber lenses

Graded-index multimode fibers are investigated for use as fiber-lenses. The performance of the fiber-lenses is based on the coupling efficiency between two single-mode fibers with fiber-lenses fused to their end faces. Coupling losses ranged from 0.1 to 1.6 dB for the various fiber-lenses. Expanded beam waists up to 39.5 μm were measured and a fiber separation of > 3.0 mm was possible while retaining the excess loss within the above range. Low loss coupling was observed with multiple-pitch ( > 3.0 mm long) VAD lenses. A theoretical analysis considers a ray matrix transformation of the complex beam parameter and predicts the coupling efficiency as a function of the relative transverse and axial displacements of the two fibers. A comparison to the corresponding measurements is made.