Abstract:
In accordance with the invention, an optical fiber is provided with a metal coating of controlled variable thickness by the steps of disposing the fiber in position for receiving coating metal from a metal source, and depositing metal while moving a shadow mask between the fiber and the source to provide patterning of deposited metal. Advantageously, the mask is translated at a constant velocity perpendicular to the fiber. The method is particularly useful for the fabrication of adjustable Bragg gratings.
Abstract:
A Bragg-reflective Mach-Zehnder filter consists of two planar optical waveguide segments (16,17) extending between 3 dB couplers (14,15). Each of the segments includes a refractive index Bragg grating, preferably a single grating (18) that extends across the two segments. In a conventional filter the straight-through (non-resonant) signal emerges at the port (21) opposite to the input port (19), so that it is a cross state of the filter. If the couplers (14,15) deviate from their nominal 50-50 coupling, there is a loss in the non-resonant signal which would significantly accumulate in a chain of such filters. According to the invention a phase difference of π radians between the two segments is introduced for transmitted signal, but not for reflective signals, for example by placing a phase shifter (31) in one segment downstream of the Bragg grating. The non-resonant signal now emerges at port 25, as a bar state of the filter, and the transmission is less sensitive to deviations of the couplers (14,15) from 50-50 coupling.
Abstract:
The conversion efficiency of a cascaded Raman laser (CRL 30) can be significantly improved if it comprises one or more of the below recited design features. The CRL comprises an intracavity section (21) between an input section (34) and an output section (35). The CRL is adapted for receiving pump radiation of wavelength λ p , and for emitting output radiation of wavelength λ n > λ p , and each of the input section and output section comprises fiber Bragg gratings of center wavelengths λ 1 , λ 2 .....λ n , where n ≥ 2 and λ 1 2 n . Among the efficiency-increasing features is ordering of the fiber Bragg gratings such that in the input section and the output section the gratings of center wavelengths λ 1 ....... λ n and λ 1 ...... λ n-1 , respectively, are disposed in sequence according to center wavelength, with center wavelengths increasing with increasing distance from the intracavity section. In a preferred embodiment the fiberBragg grating of center wavelength λ n of the output section is disposed between the intracavity section and the grating with center wavelength λ 1 . Other efficiency-increasing features are choice of the λ n grating in the output section such that it has a reflectivity in the range 10-25%, disposition of a grating of center wavelength λ p in the output section downstream of the λ n-1 grating, choice of at least some of the fiber Bragg gratings such that their reflectivity has full width at half maximum in the range 0.8-2.0 nm, selection of the fiber Bragg gratings such that the center wavelength spacing between successive gratings corresponds to a frequency shift in the range 11.7-14.9 THz, choice of a specified optical fiber refractive index profile, and use of an intracavity section of length in the range 300-1200 m.
Abstract:
Reflective mode coupling refractive index gratings are disclosed. The gratings can couple light of wavelength λ i in a fundamental spatial mode of the waveguide (e.g., LP 01 ) to a reflected higher order spatial mode (e.g., LP 11 ), substantially without reflection of any light of wavelength λ j ≠ λ i in a spectral range Δλ ≲ 0.01 λ i . The mode coupling gratings (MCGs) can find a variety of uses in optical waveguide systems. Exemplarily, an MCG can serve as a wavelength-dependent loss element with abrupt (e.g., ∼1 nm) spectral dependence. However, a chirped grating with or without strength modulation can yield an MCG having relatively wide spectral dependence, including variable loss over a relatively wide (e.g., ∼10 nm) spectral range. Both types of MCGs are advantageously used in, for instance, optical waveguide amplifiers.
Abstract:
In accordance with the invention, a tunable fiber grating comprises a fiber grating secured between a pair of magnets so that magnetic force (repulsive or attractive) applied to the magnets is transmitted to the grating. An electromagnet is disposed adjacent the magnets for applying the field to magnetize them. Control of the current applied to the electromagnet permits control of the force transmitted to the fiber grating and, thus, control of the grating strain, spacing and reflection frequency. In a preferred embodiment the electromagnet is actuated to produce magnetic pulses which control the remanent force between the two magnets, eliminating the need for continuous power. An add/drop multiplexer employing the tunable gratings is described.
Abstract:
In accordance with the invention, a continuous chirped fiber Bragg grating is made by fabricating a continuous chirped phase mask and using the mask to write a Bragg grating on a parallel fiber. The chirped phase mask is made by exposing a photoresist-coated mask substrate to two interfering beams: one a collimated beam and the other a beam reflected from a continuous curved mirror. After etching, the resulting phase mask can be used to write a chirped fiber grating having a continuously varying grating period without physical modification of the fiber. The resulting fiber grating has a widened bandwidth and uniform dispersive delay characteristics useful for dispersion compensation in critical telecommunications applications.
Abstract:
A dispersive optical wave guide tap comprises a blazed and chirped refractive index grating (14) in the core of the waveguide (12), coupling means (15) and utilization means (19). The grating is selected such that guided mode light of predetermined wavelength will, in the absence of the coupling means, be directed into one or more cladding modes of the waveguide. The presence of the coupling means in optical cooperation with the waveguide, changes the guiding conditions such that the cladding modes are substantially eliminated from a portion of the waveguide that includes the cladding, whereby the grating directs the guided mode light into one or more radiation modes. The blaze angle typically is ≤15°. The chirp serves to bring the radiation mode light substantially to a focus in at least one dimension, the focal point (or line) depending on the wavelength of the light. The utilization means exemplarily comprise an array of photodetectors, and the coupling means exemplarily comprise an appropriately shaped glass member and index matching means. Dispersive waveguide taps are advantageously used in WDM optical communication systems, e.g., to provide status information (e.g., channel wavelength, channel power, including presence or absence of a channel) to, e.g., a system maintenance unit. The status information facilitates maintenance of operating conditions by conventional feedback control.