Embedded corrugated long-period fiber gratings for sensing applications

We demonstrate a method to make possible the mass production of corrugated long-period fiber gratings (C-LPFGs) by utilizing imprint lithography on polycarbonate (PC) substrates. For such C-LPFGs whose working principle is based on photoelastic effect, pretensile tension is required to be applied to inducing periodical refractive index variation. We then present an attempt to use PC as embedding material for providing internal compressive stress for C-LPFGs to have a photoelastic effect. This type of LPFG, termed embedded corrugated long-period fiber gratings (EC-LPFGs), is obtained after reimprinting the C-LPFGs into other PC substrates. Since compressive stress is retained due to the materials of different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), unlike C-LPFGs, EC-LPFGs can serve as strain, bending, and temperature sensors without the need of pretensile strain. The two most troublesome problems, the fragility of an etched fiber grating and the requirement of pretensile strain, can be simultaneously alleviated or solved by EC-LPFGs.     

Optical fiber refractometer using narrowband cladding-mode resonance shifts

Short-period fiber Bragg gratings with weakly tilted grating planes generate multiple strong resonances in transmission. Our experimental results show that the wavelength separation between selected resonances allows the measurement of the refractive index of the medium surrounding the fiber for values between 1.25 and 1.44 with an accuracy approaching 1x10(-4). The sensor element is 10 mm long and made from standard single-mode telecommunication grade optical fiber by ultraviolet light irradiation through a phase mask.     

Transfer-matrix approach based on modal analysis for modeling corrugated long-period fiber gratings

A transfer-matrix method is developed for modeling a corrugated long-period fiber grating. Cladding-mode resonance in such a corrugated structure can be controlled by the applied tensile stress based on the photoelastic effect. A first-order vectorial perturbation expansion is used to derive the mode fields of the two basic regions under the strain-induced index perturbation. Because the etched cladding radius is much smaller than the unetched radius, the effect of the corrugated structure on cladding modes cannot be treated as a small perturbation. Thus the conventional coupled-mode theory is inadequate for the modeling of such a structure. Based on a self-consistent mode-matching technique, mode coupling within the corrugated structure can be described by a set of transfer matrices. We apply the formulation to the calculation of the transmission spectra of a corrugated long-period grating and compare the calculated with the experimental results. The transfer-matrix approach is found to account well for the features of the transmission spectra of the corrugated long-period gratings.     

Adjusting resonance wavelengths of long-period fiber gratings by the glass-structure change

Long-period fiber gratings written by arc discharge are heated at different temperatures, and the postheating changes of transmission characteristics are investigated. The resonance wavelengths are shifted to longer wavelengths by heating at a temperature lower than the fictive temperature of the fiber, and they move more quickly with increasing heating temperature. The resonance wavelength shifts more for the loss peak generated by the higher cladding mode. It is shown that the resonance wavelengths can be changed and adjusted up to 63-76 nm without significant degradation by the glass-structure change induced by heating.     

Spectrum evolution of cascaded mismatching long-period fiber gratings

Two identical long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) are difficult to produce in practice, notably for CO(2)-laser or arc-discharge induced LPFGs. So it is meaningful to study the spectrum evolution of cascaded LPFGs with some deviation, named "mismatching" LPFGs. Theory and experiment demonstrate that the upper envelope of the fringe pattern is intrinsically curved but less dramatically than the lower envelope. Bending the grating pair to introduce proper cladding-mode loss can improve the contrast of the fringe pattern at a desired wavelength, which indicates that cascaded mismatching LPFGs can be used as high-quality comb filters or fiber sensors.     

Dispersion control with use of long-period fiber gratings

Chirped long-period fiber gratings are analyzed for management of dispersion in optical fiber communications systems. A ray model is used to derive simple analytic expressions that describe the transmission, chromatic delay, and dispersion properties of chirped long-period fiber gratings. A numerical model based on coupled-mode theory is used to verify the accuracy of the analytic expressions and explore design issues of the chirped long-period grating. With certain reasonable restrictions, chirped long-period gratings are found to be a viable and desirable alternative to existing dispersion compensation techniques.     

Reconstruction of long-period fiber gratings from their core-to-core transmission function

In order to reconstruct the structure of a long-period grating, both the complex core-to-core transmission function and the complex core-to-cladding transmission function should be known. However, in practice, only the core-to-core transmission function of the grating can be measured. We demonstrate theoretically the reconstruction of long-period gratings from only the core-to-core transmission function. The reconstruction is performed by extracting the complex core-to-cladding transmission function of the grating from its core-to-core transmission function. Generally, the extraction is not unique; however, we show that by writing an additional grating in cascade to the interrogated grating, a unique reconstruction can be obtained. In weak long-period gratings, only the amplitude of the core-to-core transmission function is needed to reconstruct the grating. The results of our work can enable the experimental reconstruction of long-period gratings from their transmission function as well as the development of novel distributed sensors.     

Bend sensing with long-period fiber gratings in capillaries embedded in structures

Bend responses of an LPG inscribed with a CO₂ laser in a conventional single-mode fiber are investigated in an arrangement, where the LPG is inserted into a thin silica capillary bonded to a steel strip. The curvature of the strip, laid on two supports and bent with a micrometer driver in the middle between the supports, decreases linearly with distance from the center of bending to the supports. Experiments are done for a very large range of bend deflections with the LPG in three positions shifted with respect to the center of bending, and two distinct opposite rotational orientations with respect to the plane of bending. Responses obtained for the above positions and orientations are greatly different and some of them show features which have not been reported for LPGs bent with a constant curvature and smaller deflections. They are, particularly, maxima and minima of the central wavelength's shift along with reversals of its direction, or the reappearance of a previously vanished attenuation band with increasing magnitude of bending. Also, it is found that the responses depend not only on the average curvature of the bent LPG, but also on the particular dependence of the curvature along the LPG's length. Some of the results obtained cannot be satisfactorily explained at the present level of knowledge, and a more thorough theoretical analysis is needed.     

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.     

Coherent tunnelling adiabatic passage in optical fibres using superimposed long-period fiber gratings

Abstract

In this paper, we present the optical analogue of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) technique for three level atomic system in optical fibre geometry. Considering linearly polarized modes of an optical fibre, it is shown that using a pair of superimposed long-period gratings with peak refractive index perturbation varying spatially along the propagation axis, light can be transferred adiabatically from one core mode to another core mode via an intermediate cladding mode which itself does not get appreciably excited; thus acting like a dark mode. We compare the transmission spectrum of superimposed long-period gratings involved in adiabatic transfer with the transmission spectrum of conventional long-period grating. The analogue output is further analysed for its tolerance to the changes in the ambient refractive index, temperature and other fabrication parameters.     

Effect of ionizing radiation on the properties of arc-induced long-period fiber gratings

We experimentally study the effect of ionizing radiation on the properties of long-period gratings fabricated in two pure-silica-core fibers with the arc-discharge technique. It is observed that the spectra of the gratings remain almost unchanged after being subjected to doses in excess of 0.5 MGy. The results also show that the gratings' temperature and strain sensitivities are not affected by gamma radiation.     

Influence on cladding mode distribution of overlay deposition on long-period fiber gratings

A thin overlay of higher refractive index than that of the cladding of a long-period fiber grating induces in cladding modes strong variations in effective index, mode profile, cross-coupling coefficient with the core mode, and self-coupling coefficient. Some conditions must be met in order to obtain the highest inducement. The key parameters are the thickness and the refractive index of the overlay, and the ambient refractive index. Under optimum conditions, the sensitivity of the device to variations in any of the critical parameters is improved in a great manner. The result is large shifts of the attenuation bands in the transmission spectrum. If the refractive index of the overlay is complex, there is an additional phenomenon of vanishing of the attenuation bands in the transmission spectrum. This occurs for specific thickness values of the overlay. The problem is solved in two steps: a vectorial analysis of the modes and the application of coupled-mode theory.     

Bend sensors with direction recognition based on long-period gratings written in D-shaped fiber

The curvature- or bend-sensing response of long-period gratings (LPGs) UV inscribed in D-shaped fiber has been investigated experimentally. Strong fiber-orientation dependence of the spectral response when such LPGs are subjected to bending at different directions has been observed and is shown to form the basis for a new class of single-device sensor with vector-sensing capability. Potential applications utilizing the linear response and unique bend-orientation characteristics of the devices are discussed.     

Comparative study of coupling to symmetric and antisymmetric cladding modes in long-period fiber gratings

We analyse the influence of coupling to symmetric and antisymmetric cladding modes in arc-induced Long-Period Fiber Gratings for temperature and strain sensing. The origin of this difference in energy coupling is related to the fabrication process of these gratings and depends on the electric arc discharge conditions, which modulates the refractive index and geometry of the optical fiber. Finally, results demonstrate the performance of different cladding modes excited in arc-induced LPFGs to temperature and strain applications and, in addition, indicate which coupling might be appropriate to certain sensing applications.     

Influence of scattering on transmission through long-period fiber gratings and tunable microstructure fibers

Controlled optical scattering within or around an optical fiber provides a potentially useful mean for adjusting its transmission characteristic. This approach can complement conventional methods based on the establishment of well-defined variations in the index of refraction of the core or the cladding of the fiber. We describe the use of a highly scattering submonolayer of nanoparticles deposited onto the fiber surface for adjusting the resonance wavelength, depth, and width of an in-fiber long-period grating filter. We also introduce a polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal material that has a thermally tunable scattering cross section and can be incorporated into the channels of a microstructure optical fiber; this system may provide the means for a fiber-based scattering switch.     

Wavelength tuning in optically mode-locked semiconductor fiber ring lasers with linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings

We demonstrate wavelength tuning in single-wavelength and multiwavelength semiconductor fiber ring lasers that are mode locked with an optically injected control signal. A semiconductor optical amplifier is used to provide gain as well as to function as an optically controlled mode-locking element. Linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings--single or superimposed--are used to define the lasing wavelengths as well as to provide wavelength tunability and allow for multiwavelength operation. We obtain pulses of tens of picoseconds in duration when we inject a sinusoidal optical control signal into the laser cavity, and we can tune the lasing wavelength(s) over the reflection bandwidth(s) of the grating(s) by simply changing the frequency of the injected control signal.     

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.