1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical fiber devices and methods, and in particular to improved systems and methods for creating localized refractive index modulations in an optical fiber.
2. Description of Prior Art
Certain optical devices, such as long-period gratings (LPGs), are fabricated by creating a series of modulations in the refractive index profile of a segment of an optical waveguide. LPGs have been made using a number of different techniques, including the following: exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, CO2 laser heating; femtosecond laser heating; and electrical arcing in a fusion splicer.
Currently used techniques typically require costly equipment, in addition to the fiber translator assemblies. These techniques also suffer from a number of other drawbacks. For example, the use of UV light techniques may result in hydrogen loading. CO2 lasers and fusion splicers typically deliver non-uniform heat to a fiber, resulting in a modulation that is not rotationally symmetric, thereby potentially introducing an undesirable polarization dependence into the fabricated device. Also, there are safety issues when using lasers.
These and other issues of the prior art are addressed by the present invention, one aspect of which provides a method for creating a localized refractive index modulation in an optical fiber. A segment of optical fiber is loaded into a heat treatment station including an electrical resistive heating unit having a localized heating zone. A selected portion of the fiber segment is positioned with the heating zone, and the electrical resistive heating unit is used to create a local refractive index change in the optical fiber within the localized heating zone. The localized modulation is repeated along the length of the fiber segment to write a fiber grating. A further aspect of the invention provides a resistive heating system for performing the described technique.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Aspects of the present invention provide systems and techniques for creating localized modulations in an optical fiber refractive index profile. These systems and techniques are described herein with respect to the fabrication of long-period gratings (LPGs). However, it will be appreciated that the systems and techniques described herein may be applied to fabricate other types of optical devices.
An LPG is typically comprises a segment of optical fiber having a periodic modulation of its refractive index profile along its length. The modulation allows light in a first propagating mode to be coupled to other modes. The modulation period typically is in the range of 100 to 1000 μm. This type of coupling has many applications. One example is as a filter, such as for gain flattening, where a guided mode is coupled into a leaky mode. Another example is as a mode converter, where one guided mode is coupled into another guided mode having more desirable propagation characteristics, e.g., with respect to chromatic dispersion.
The functioning of an LPG may be expressed mathematically. For example, consider the case of a fiber guiding only one mode, referred to herein as the “fundamental mode,” and other, higher-order, leaky modes, referred to as the “cladding modes.” In that case, the coupling of launched power P01(0) from the fundamental to the n-th cladding mode can be expressed as follows:
where L is the grating length, Pcln(L) is the power in the cladding more, and κg is the grating coupling constant. The detuning parameter δ characterizes the mismatch between the propagation constants β01 and βcln of the two modes in question:
δ=0.5*{β01−βcln−2*π/Λ} (2)
where Λ is the grating period.
A number of different mechanisms have been recognized for modulating an optical fiber's refractive index profile, including the following: physical tapering, micro deformations, and relaxation of a fiber's drawn-induced stresses.
According to an aspect of the present invention, an electrical resistive heater is used to write an LPG, or like device, into a segment of optical fiber. An electrical resistive heater is far cheaper and safer than the other techniques described above. Also, the described techniques allow an LPG to be fabricated with optimal grating strength.
System 40 further includes a resistive heating assembly 54 that includes a chassis 56 to which there are mounted a pair of electrode blocks 58 and 60. A resistive heating element 62 is mounted between electrode blocks 58 and 60. The resistive heating element 62 includes a hole through which the fiber 42 is threaded. A suitable current source 64 is connected to electrode blocks 58 and 60 and causes a controlled amount of current to flow through the resistive heating element 54. As discussed below, the resistive heating element 54 creates a highly localized heating zone for producing a precise, localized modulation of the fiber's refractive index profile.
As discussed below, a predetermined amount of added tension may be applied to the optical fiber 42. This added tension is represented by weight 66, but other suitable components or subassemblies may be used to apply tension to the fiber 42. As further discussed below, according to another aspect of the invention, no added tension is applied to the optical fiber 42, in which case weight 66, or other tensioning component, would be omitted.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the resistive heating element 62 is implemented using a plate fabricated from Kanthal, or other suitable material, such as tungsten, graphite, iridium, and the like. Kanthal is an alloy of iron, chromium, aluminum, and cobalt that is known for its ability to withstand high temperatures, and having great electrical resistance. As such, it is frequently used in heating elements, especially where the application demands temperatures above the melting point of Nichrome or other such materials. Alternatively, the resistive heating element 62 may be implemented using a wire fabricated from platinum, or other like material.
The heating element geometries illustrated in
Ideally, the heating profiles should be free from rotational variation, in order to avoid the introduction of polarization dependence. Using the heating element geometries illustrated in
There are now described two techniques for using the system 40 shown in
Tension Technique
An aspect of the invention provides a technique for forming a grating in a segment of optical fiber, according to which a controlled tension is applied to a heat-softened portion of the fiber to cause it to stretch, thereby creating a physically down-tapered portion with a modified mode field diameter. Depending upon the particular fiber design, the down-tapering may cause an increase or decrease in mode field diameter. The down-tapering is repeated to create a desired modulation of the fiber's refractive index profile along the length of the fiber segment.
A predetermined amount of tension T is applied to the fiber. The amount of tension is chosen such that the applied tension will be sufficient to cause a suitable stretching and down-tapering of a heated portion of the fiber segment heated within the localized heating zone for a certain amount of time. Another consideration in choosing the amount of tension is the prevention of fiber breakage.
The fiber 100 is then advanced a short distance, corresponding to the desired grating period. The fiber is moved sufficiently rapidly such that down-tapering occurs only at the selected intervals. This process is repeated until the desired modulation pattern has been achieved.
According to a further aspect of the invention, an applied tension is used to cause a localized change in a fiber's refractive index profile by introducing stresses into the heated region. The introduced stresses are similar to the draw-induced stresses discussed below.
According to this aspect of the invention, a resistive heating element is used to cause a softening of a localized region of the optical fiber segment. A controlled tension is then applied to the fiber to cause stresses to form within the heated region. However, the total amount of applied heat and tension is this case is insufficient to cause a physical down-tapering of the heated region. The stressed region is then moved out of the localized heating zone, and the induced stresses are then “frozen” into the stressed region.
A suitable optical fiber may be custom-designed for this particular aspect of the invention.
Tensionless Technique
According to a further aspect of the invention, a desired modulation pattern is formed in an optical fiber segment by using the localized heat from a resistive heating element without an applied tension. This non-tension technique can be better understood by considering how the coupling strength κg is related to the index change by the following integral over the fiber cross section A:
κg=∫AE01*Ecln*Δn(r)*dA (3)
E01 and Ecln are electrical mode fields involved, Δn(r) is index modulation with respect to radius r. Thus, a fiber's refractive index profile can be tailored for an optimal coupling strength κg.
An optical fiber is formed by fabricating a solid preform having a number of concentric regions that, as a result of chemical dopants, have different refractive indices and viscosities. During the draw process, a certain amount of stress arising from viscoelastic strain, viscosity variations, and other factors, is introduced into the fiber, and is frozen into the fiber as it cools.
Draw-induced strains and stresses tend to decrease the density of a fiber region, thereby lowering its refractive index. Subsequently heating a portion of the fiber to its softening point, typically in the range of 1,000° C., will cause the frozen-in strain state to relax, thereby reversing the change in refractive index caused by the frozen-in strain. Thus, an optical fiber will typically have a “draw-induced” refractive-index profile that is different from its “relaxed” refractive index profile.
Through the selection of dopant levels and compositions, a fiber can be designed to have a desired “draw-induced” refractive index profile and a desired “relaxed” refractive index profile having coupling characteristics suitable for the formation of a grating in the fiber. Further, it is possible to tune Δn(r) of the drawn fiber by adjusting the amount of tension applied to the fiber during the drawing process.
By using a resistive heating element in accordance with the present aspect of the invention, it is possible to cause a localized relaxation of the stresses in the fiber, thereby causing a localized change from its draw-induced refractive index profile to its relaxed refractive index profile.
The exemplary fiber 200 has been doped such that the cladding region 204 has a significantly higher viscosity than the core region 202. Thus, most of the drawn-induced effects will be concentrated in the cladding region 204. Thus, it will be seen from the refractive index profiles 220 and 220 ′ that the relaxed core index 222′ is substantially equal to the draw-induced core index 222. The relaxed cladding refractive index 224′, however, is significantly higher than the draw-induced cladding index 224. Thus, Δn2 is significantly lower than Δn1. It will be seen that the relaxation of the draw-induced effects in the exemplary fiber 200 causes a significant change in the fiber mode field.
While the foregoing description includes details which will enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be recognized that the description is illustrative in nature and that many modifications and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of these teachings. It is accordingly intended that the invention herein be defined solely by the claims appended hereto and that the claims be interpreted as broadly as permitted by the prior art.
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