ABSTRACT
In this paper, we comprehensively analyze counter-propagating cladding mode assisted phase-shifted fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and propose an ultra-narrow bandwidth laser line filter based on such gratings. Full vector modal analysis has been used to obtain the mode guiding and its coupling characteristics. We show that the transmission spectrum of the counter-propagating cladding mode assisted FBGs can be tailored by incorporating single or multiple phase shifts along the grating length. Phase shifts open up narrowband transmission windows inside the stop band of the Bragg grating, and the transmitted wavelength can be altered by controlling the amount of phase shift. Unlike conventional FBGs, the grating discussed here has access to the evanescent field of the excited counter-propagating cladding mode, which opens up the possibility of refractive index based tuning of resonance wavelength. Further, the bandwidth of the proposed grating is two orders of magnitude smaller than that of the conventional LPGs. As an alternative application, we also show that with the right length ratio, the multiple phase shifts can also be used to create a very flattened single transmission peak inside the stop band. The effects of grating regulating factors such as the grating length, grating strength, location of the phase shift, and index apodization on the linewidth of the narrow central peak of π PS-FBG are also investigated. We present a clear physical explanation of various factors involved in the counter-propagating cladding mode coupling in such phase-shifted Bragg grating. Due to its extremely narrow transmission window, our study can find application in developing sensors for measuring parameters with greater accuracy. Such phase-shifted Bragg gratings can also be used to create an all-fiber demultiplexer for multichannel systems and fiber optic sensors as a particular application.
ABSTRACT
We propose and analyze a counterpropagating cladding mode assisted tunable frequency Fabry-Perot interferometer formed by a Bragg grating (BG) cavity in a liquid crystal coated planar optical waveguide. A full vector modal analysis has been used to obtain the transmission spectra of the individual Bragg reflectors, and the cavity effects have been incorporated by employing a suitable phase matrix. We show that the cavity resonances that appear from two fiber BGs forming a resonator can be efficiently explained by incorporating appropriate phase shifts in one BG grating period. We further show that utilizing the cladding mode evanescent field, a liquid crystal overlay can be used to tune the cavity resonance over the entire free-spectral range of the cavity transmission spectra. Our study should find application in designing highly tunable integrated optical Fabry-Perot interferometers.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, using full vector modal field analysis, we present physical parameter sensing, e.g., temperature, axial strain, bulk refractive index, and affinity sensing characteristics of counterpropagating cladding modes in optical fibers. Counterpropagating cladding modes (HEmn) are considered to be excited by resonant power coupling from the fundamental core mode using a suitably designed fiber Bragg grating (FBG). We show that for such couplings, the bandwidths of reflection spectra are much smaller than those obtained for conventional core mode reflecting FBGs. Next, we also show that the reflection bandwidth increases linearly with increasing grating strength, whereas it decreases exponentially with increasing grating length. The reflection spectra of such FBGs, as a function of different ambient physical perturbation parameters, are obtained, and then the grating sensitivity corresponding to those parameters is established. Interestingly, we have noticed that despite having the same evanescent field in the analyte region, unlike the long-period grating assisted co-propagating cladding modes (HEmn), the same cladding modes while propagating counter to the core mode are weakly sensitive to changes in the ambient refractive index. The reason behind this observation is discussed.
