All-fiber fused directional coupler for highly efficient spatial mode conversion

We model and demonstrate a simple mode selective all-fiber coupler capable of exciting specific higher order modes in two- and few-mode fibres with high efficiency and purity. The coupler is based on inter-modally phase-matching the propagation constants in each arm of the asymmetric fused coupler, formed by dissimilar fibres. At a specific coupler diameter, the launched fundamental LP01 mode is coupled into the higher order mode (LP11, LP21, LP02) in the other arm, over a broadband wavelength range around 1550 nm. Unlike other techniques, the demonstrated coupler is composed of a multimode fiber that is weakly fused with a phase matched conventional single mode telecom fiber (SMF-28). The beating between the supermodes at the coupler waist produces a periodic power transfer between the two arms, and therefore, by monitoring the beating while tapering, it is possible to obtain optimum selection for the desired mode. High coupling efficiencies in excess of 90% for all the higher order modes were recorded over 100 nm spectral range, while insertion losses remain as low as 0.5 dB. Coupling efficiency can be further enhanced by performing slow tapering at high temperature, in order to precisely control the coupler cross-section geometry

Polarization maintaining mode selective coupler

Simple all-fiber coupler is presented as solution to the missing MDM component in the future all fiber networks. It is capable of exciting specific higher order mode at the required spatial direction with high efficiency

Magnetic field sensor based on multi-port microcoil resonator

A multi-port microcoil resonator magnetic field sensor based on a microfiber coupler coil resonator (MMCR) is presented. The microfiber coupler coil is fabricated by coiling a four-port microfiber coupler with a uniform waist region around a low index support rod. The MMCR is embedded in a low refractive index polymer to increase the robustness and operation stability. The enhanced sensor response to the magnetic field is ascribed to the diverse MMCR response to the light polarization state. The MMCR magnetic field sensor is compact and low cost, and exhibits a magnetic field sensitivity of 37.09 dB/T with an estimated minimum detection limit (DL) of ~ 27 µT

Suspended-core microstructured polymer optical fibers and potential applications in sensing

The study of the fabrication, material selection, and properties of microstructured polymer optical fibers (MPOFs) has long attracted great interest. This ever-increasing interest is due to their wide range of applications, mainly in sensing, including temperature, pressure, chemical, and biological species. This manuscript reviews the manufacturing of MPOFs, including the most recent single-step process involving extrusion from a modified 3D printer. MPOFs sensing applications are then discussed, with a stress on the benefit of using polymers

OAM Generation in optical fibre and free space devices

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) beam generation has been investigated using all-fibre and free space configurations. In the first approach, the composite fused coupler is based on a single mode fibre (SMF) and an air-core fibre. The second approach exploits geometrical phase introduced by nanostructuring of silica glass. Both approaches are demonstrated to achieve power coupling efficiencies in excess of 80% at telecom wavelengths

Novel method for manufacturing optical fiber: extrusion and drawing of microstructured polymer optical fibers from a 3D printer

Microstructured polymer optical fibers (MPOFs) have long attracted great interest due to their wide range of applications in biological and chemical sensing. In this manuscript, we demonstrate a novel technique of manufacturing MPOF via a single-step procedure by means of a 3D printer. A suspended-core polymer optical fiber has been extruded and directly drawn from a micro-structured 3D printer nozzle by using an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer. Near-field imaging at the fiber facet performed at the wavelength λ~1550 nm clearly indicates guidance in the fiber core. The propagation loss has been experimentally demonstrated to be better than α = 1.1 dB/cm. This work points toward direct MPOFs manufacturing of varieties of materials and structures of optical fibers from 3D printers using a single manufacturing step

UV generation in silica fibres

The generation of UV light in solid core silica fibres has been achieved using four wave mixing in optical fibre tapers or rare earth doping with Gd3+

UV light generation in optical fibres

UV light has been generated in optical fibers using nonlinear optics (harmonic generation) and rare earth doping with Gd3+

Mid-IR hollow-core microstructured fiber drawn from a 3D printed PETG preform

FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOMid-infrared (mid-IR) optical fibers have long attracted great interest due to their wide range of applications in security, biology and chemical sensing. Traditionally, research was directed towards materials with low absorption in the mid-IR region, such as chalcogenides, which are difficult to manipulate and often contain highly toxic elements. In this paper, we demonstrate a Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG) hollow-core fiber (HCF) with guiding properties in the mid-IR. Guiding is provided by the fiber geometry, as PETG exhibits a material attenuation 2 orders of magnitude larger than the HCF propagation loss. The structured plastic fiber preforms were fabricated using commercial 3D printing technology and then drawn using a conventional fiber drawing tower. The final PETG fiber outer diameter was 466 mu m with a hollow-core diameter of 225 mu m. Thermal imaging at the fiber facet performed within the wavelength range 3.5-5 mu m clearly indicates air guidance in the fiber hollow-core.8118FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO2014/50632-6Agências de fomento estrangeiras apoiaram essa pesquisa, mais informações acesse artig