Analysis of ultrasonic frequency response of surface attached fiber Bragg grating

In recent years, fiber Bragg grating (FBG), for the well-known advantages over other fiber optic sensors, has attracted more attention in ultrasonic inspection for structure health monitoring (SHM). Spectrum shift of FBG to ultrasonic wave is caused by the refractive index profile changing along the FBG, which can be attributed to nonuniform perturbation caused by strain-optic and geometric effects of ultrasonic wave. Response of FBG to the above two effects was analyzed firstly by the V-I transmission matrix model, showing high computing efficiency. Based on this model, spectra response of FBG under changing ultrasonic frequencies was simulated and discussed. In experiment, the system was able to detect a wideband ultrasonic wave ranging from 15 to 1380 kHz. These results would provide a guideline for an FBG-based acoustic detection system design in a specific ultrasonic frequency.

Monte Carlo model of the penetration depth for polarization gating spectroscopy: influence of illumination-collection geometry and sample optical properties

Polarization-gating has been widely used to probe superficial tissue structures, but the penetration depth properties of this method have not been completely elucidated. This study employs a polarization-sensitive Monte Carlo method to characterize the penetration depth statistics of polarization-gating. The analysis demonstrates that the penetration depth depends on both the illumination-collection geometry [illumination-collection area (R) and collection angle (θ(c))] and on the optical properties of the sample, which include the scattering coefficient (μ(s)), absorption coefficient (μ(a)), anisotropy factor (g), and the type of the phase function. We develop a mathematical expression relating the average penetration depth to the illumination-collection beam properties and optical properties of the medium. Finally, we quantify the sensitivity of the average penetration depth to changes in optical properties for different geometries of illumination and collection. The penetration depth model derived in this study can be applied to optimizing application-specific fiber-optic probes to target a sampling depth of interest with minimal sensitivity to the optical properties of the sample.

Total variation regularization for bioluminescence tomography with the split Bregman method

Regularization methods have been broadly applied to bioluminescence tomography (BLT) to obtain stable solutions, including l2 and l1 regularizations. However, l2 regularization can oversmooth reconstructed images and l1 regularization may sparsify the source distribution, which degrades image quality. In this paper, the use of total variation (TV) regularization in BLT is investigated. Since a nonnegativity constraint can lead to improved image quality, the nonnegative constraint should be considered in BLT. However, TV regularization with a nonnegativity constraint is extremely difficult to solve due to its nondifferentiability and nonlinearity. The aim of this work is to validate the split Bregman method to minimize the TV regularization problem with a nonnegativity constraint for BLT. The performance of split Bregman-resolved TV (SBRTV) based BLT reconstruction algorithm was verified with numerical and in vivo experiments. Experimental results demonstrate that the SBRTV regularization can provide better regularization quality over l2 and l1 regularizations.

Eigenvalue equation and core-mode cutoff of weakly guiding tapered fiber as three layer optical waveguide and used as biochemical sensor

The core-mode cutoff plays a major role in evanescent field absorption based sensors. A method has been proposed to calculate the core-mode cutoff by solving the eigenvalue equations of a weakly guiding three layer optical waveguide graphically. The variation of normalized waveguide parameter (V) is also calculated with different wavelengths at core-mode cutoff. At the first step, theoretical analysis of tapered fiber parameters has been performed for core-mode cutoff. The taper angle of an adiabatic tapered fiber is also analyzed using the length-scale criterion. Secondly, single-mode tapered fiber has been developed to make a precision sensor element suitable for chemical detection. Finally, the sensor element has been used to detect absorption peak of ethylenediamine. Results are presented in which an absorption peak at 1540 nm is observed.

Novel fiber optic detection method for in situ analysis of fluorescently labeled biosensor organisms

This research presents a novel, time-resolved fiber-optic "Optrode" system for accurate real-time in situ detection of fluorescent proteins produced by biosensor organisms. The Optrode fluorescence detection system was able to identify, characterize, differentiate, and quantify red and green fluorescently labeled organisms, individually and in mixed aqueous cultures. Detection was also possible in sand systems, where a consistent reduction in signal intensity indicates that signal collection volume was reduced by one-third. The optrode was shown to be sensitive enough to detect fluorescently labeled cell concentrations of 1.9 × 10(4) CFU/mL, indicating it is suitable for detecting typical concentrations of degrader organisms reported in bioremediation trials. The effect of fluorophore photobleaching was characterized for different fluorescent proteins and demonstrated a linear relationship to cell concentration, meaning the effect can be accounted for within methods of fluorescence collection and analysis. Proof of concept is provided for all aspects of this research, which represents an important step toward the goal of achieving a complete, nondestructive, in situ monitoring system to characterize all aspects of microbial activity and gene expression.

Mode-locked femtosecond all-normal all-PM Yb-doped fiber laser using a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror

We report on a new design for a passively mode locked fibre laser employing all normal dispersion polarisation maintaining fibres operating at 1 μm. The laser produces linearly polarized, linearly chirped pulses that can be recompressed down to 344 fs. Compared to previous laser designs the cavity is mode-locked using a nonlinear amplifying fibre loop mirror that provides an additional degree of freedom allowing easy control over the pulse parameters. This is a robust laser design with excellent reliability and lifetime.

In vivo optical neural recording using fiber-based surface plasmon resonance

We propose an intrinsic optical method for in vivo neural recording using optic fiber-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomena. The fiber-based SPR method is electrical artifact free, labeling free, and feasible for a portable system compared with conventional in vivo neural recording systems. We simultaneously detected SPR signals and electrical neural activity from the rat somatosensory cortex evoked by electrical stimulation on the forepaw. Pharmacological analysis using a voltage-gated sodium channel blocker confirmed the neural origins of the optical signals. This fiber-based SPR system promises the enhanced ability to record in vivo neural activity for the investigation of neurons and their networks.

Fourier optics along a hybrid optical fiber for Bessel-like beam generation and its applications in multiple-particle trapping

Highly efficient Bessel-like beam generation was achieved based on a new all-fiber method that implements Fourier transformation of a micro annular aperture along a concatenated composite optical fiber. The beam showed unique characteristics of tilted washboard optical potential in the transverse plane and sustained a nondiffracting length over 400 μm along the axial direction. Optical trapping of multiple dielectric particles and living Jurkat cells were successfully demonstrated along the axial direction of the beam in the water.

Coherent optical DFT-spread OFDM transmission using orthogonal band multiplexing

Coherent optical OFDM (CO-OFDM) combined with orthogonal band multiplexing provides a scalable and flexible solution for achieving ultra high-speed rate. Among many CO-OFDM implementations, digital Fourier transform spread (DFT-S) CO-OFDM is proposed to mitigate fiber nonlinearity in long-haul transmission. In this paper, we first illustrate the principle of DFT-S OFDM. We then experimentally evaluate the performance of coherent optical DFT-S OFDM in a band-multiplexed transmission system. Compared with conventional clipping methods, DFT-S OFDM can reduce the OFDM peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) value without suffering from the interference of the neighboring bands. With the benefit of much reduced PAPR, we successfully demonstrate 1.45 Tb/s DFT-S OFDM over 480 km SSMF transmission.

Ellipsometry with randomly varying polarization states

We show that, under the right conditions, one can make highly accurate polarization-based measurements without knowing the absolute polarization state of the probing light field. It is shown that light, passed through a randomly varying birefringent material has a well-defined orbit on the Poincar sphere, which we term a generalized polarization state, that is preserved. Changes to the generalized polarization state can then be used in place of the absolute polarization states that make up the generalized state, to measure the change in polarization due to a sample under investigation. We illustrate the usefulness of this analysis approach by demonstrating fiber-based ellipsometry, where the polarization state of the probe light is unknown, and, yet, the ellipsometric angles of the investigated sample (Ψ and Δ) are obtained with an accuracy comparable to that of conventional ellipsometry instruments by measuring changes to the generalized polarization state.

Mid-infrared spectral broadening in an ultrafast laser inscribed gallium lanthanum sulphide waveguide

We report the successful fabrication of mid-infrared waveguides written in a gallium lanthanum sulphide (GLS) substrate via the ultrafast laser inscription technique. Single mode guiding at 2485 nm and 3850 nm is observed. Spectral broadening spanning 1500 nm (-15dB points) is demonstrated under 3850 nm excitation.

Dissemination of an optical frequency comb over fiber with 3 × 10(-18) fractional accuracy

We demonstrate that the structure of an optical frequency comb transferred over several km of fiber can be preserved at a level compatible with the best optical frequency references currently available. Using an optical phase detection technique we measure the noise introduced by the fiber link and suppress it by stabilizing the optical path length. The measured fractional frequency stability of the transferred optical modes is 2 × 10(-18) at a few thousand seconds and the mode spacing stability after optical-microwave conversion is better than 4 × 10(-17) over the same time scale.

Double common-path interferometer for flexible optical probe of optical coherence tomography

A flexible curled optical cord is useful for a common-path optical coherence tomography (OCT) system because a bending-insensitive arbitrary length can be chosen for the endoscopic imaging probe. However, there has been a critical problem that the partial reflector needs to be placed in between the sample and the objective lens. It limits the structure design of optical probe and leads to a low transverse resolution OCT imaging. Instead of a conventional single common-path interferometer, we propose a novel double common-path interferometer configuration in order to generate an interference signal that is independent of the optical distance between the partial reflector and sample. Due to the limitless tuning of the objective distance, an objective lens with a high numerical aperture (NA) up to 0.85 can be successfully used for phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography to achieve a 3-dimensional profile image of a transverse resolution of 0.7 μm. The intensity and phase terms of the interference signal can be obtained simultaneously from a Fourier-domain mode locked swept laser source for fast data acquisition with a phase stability of 979 pm.

Directly draw highly nonlinear tellurite microstructured fiber with diameter varying sharply in a short fiber length

We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that it is feasible to draw the microstructured fiber with longitudinally varying diameter (FLVD) whose diameter varies sharply in a short fiber length. It is elucidated that during the fiber drawing process the tension is linearly proportional to the natural logarithm of the fiber drawing speed. As a result, the tension is not so sensitive to the fiber diameter. Moreover, this sensitivity can be decreased by using a large diameter ratio of preform to fiber. Owing to the low sensitivity the FLVD with diameter varying sharply in a short fiber length can be drawn directly from the preform. Additionally we show that the microstructural geometry of FLVD does not depend on the varying diameter. The deformation in microstructural geometry is determined by the fiber segment with the smallest diameter. We fabricate a FLVD of which the diameter decreases by 75% in a fiber length of 10 cm. By using this fiber we demonstrate the 600-1800 nm supercontinuum (SC) generation and the 532 nm second harmonic generation pumped by a picosecond fiber laser. The SC spectra by the conventional fibers with the largest and the smallest diameters of the FLVD are also shown, respectively. The comparisons show that the FLVD has the broadest SC spectrum due to its high nonlinearity, varying dispersion, and high damage threshold.

146-GHz millimeter-wave radio-over-fiber photonic wireless transmission system

We report the experimental implementation of a wireless transmission system with a 146-GHz carrier frequency which is generated by optical heterodyning the two modes from a monolithically integrated quantum dash dual-DFB source. The monolithic structure of the device and the inherent low noise characteristics of quantum dash gain material allow us to demonstrate the transmission of a 1 Gbps ON-OFF keyed data signal with the two wavelengths in a free-running state at 146-GHz carrier wave frequency. The tuning range of the device fully covers the W-band (75 - 110 GHz) and the F-band (90 - 140 GHz).

Generation of multi-wavelength picosecond pulses with tunable pulsewidth and channel spacing using a Raman amplification-based adiabatic soliton compressor

We experimentally demonstrate pulsewidth-tunable picosecond multi-wavelength pulse generation at 10 Gb/s by the use of a Raman amplification-based adiabatic soliton compressor (RA-ASC). Multi-wavelength seed pulse trains are generated by a commercially available electroabsorption modulator and then compressed by using the RA-ASC. The pulsewidths of the compressed pulses can be simultaneously controlled from 16.0 ps to 2.0 ps by adjusting Raman pump power. Operating wavelength range of our scheme are also investigated, showing the possibility for wide channel spacing operations.

Colorless coherent receiver using 3x3 coupler hybrids and single-ended detection

We demonstrate a single-ended colorless coherent receiver using symmetric 3x3 couplers for optical hybrids. We show that the receiver can achieve colorless reception of fifty-five 112-Gb/s polarization-division-multiplexed quadrature-phase-shift-keyed (PDM-QPSK) channels with less than 1-dB penalty in the back-to-back operation. The receiver also works well in a long-haul wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) transmission system over 2560-km TrueWave® REACH fiber.

Mitigation of intra-channel nonlinearities using a frequency-domain Volterra series equalizer

We address the issue of intra-channel nonlinear compensation using a Volterra series nonlinear equalizer based on an analytical closed-form solution for the 3rd order Volterra kernel in frequency-domain. The performance of the method is investigated through numerical simulations for a single-channel optical system using a 20 Gbaud NRZ-QPSK test signal propagated over 1600 km of both standard single-mode fiber and non-zero dispersion shifted fiber. We carry on performance and computational effort comparisons with the well-known backward propagation split-step Fourier (BP-SSF) method. The alias-free frequency-domain implementation of the Volterra series nonlinear equalizer makes it an attractive approach to work at low sampling rates, enabling to surpass the maximum performance of BP-SSF at 2× oversampling. Linear and nonlinear equalization can be treated independently, providing more flexibility to the equalization subsystem. The parallel structure of the algorithm is also a key advantage in terms of real-time implementation.

Enhancing long-term stability of the optoelectronic oscillator with a probe-injected fiber delay monitoring mechanism

Optoelectronic oscillators (OEOs), based on optical fiber loops to act as a high-Q cavity, are capable of generating stable radio-frequencies (RF). The long-term frequency stability of the OEO is then limited by the cavity variation that is mainly induced by temperature sensitivity of the optical fiber. In order to actively stabilize the OEO cavity, we employ the technique of RF transfer over optical fibers. We propose and experimentally demonstrate a dual-loop-OEO scheme to enhance the long-term stability with an injected probe signal to monitor the phase variation in the fiber loops. The experimental results show that the resulting spread-spectrum signal is useful in monitoring the fiber delay without observable interference. The relationships between the measured frequency and the monitored delay are theoretically and numerically discussed. We also estimate the long-term stability of the proposed OEO scheme with the cavity phase correction. The corrected result shows the long-term frequency stability of the proposed OEO is within 8.4×10(-8) at one day.

Energy-efficient 0.26-Tb/s coherent-optical OFDM transmission using photonic-integrated all-optical discrete Fourier transform

We propose a novel energy-efficient coherent-optical OFDM transmission scheme based on hybrid optical-electronic signal processing. We demonstrate transmission of a 0.26-Tb/s OFDM superchannel, consisting of 13 x 20-Gb/s polarization-multiplexed QPSK subcarrier channels, over 400-km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) with BER less than 6.3x10(-4) using all-optical Fourier transform processing and electronic 7-tap blind digital equalization per subchannel. We further explore long-haul transmission over up to 960 km SSMF and show that the electronic signal processing is capable of compensating chromatic dispersion up to 16,000 ps/nm using only 15 taps per subchannel, even in the presence of strong inter-carrier interference.

Nonlinear polarization dynamics in a weakly birefringent all-normal dispersion photonic crystal fiber: toward a practical coherent fiber supercontinuum laser

Dispersion-flattened dispersion-decreased all-normal dispersion (DFDD-ANDi) photonic crystal fibers have been identified as promising candidates for high-spectral-power coherent supercontinuum (SC) generation. However, the effects of the unintentional birefringence of the fibers on the SC generation have been ignored. This birefringence is widely present in nonlinear non-polarization maintaining fibers with a typical core size of 2 µm, presumably due to the structural symmetry breaks introduced in the fiber drawing process. We find that an intrinsic form-birefringence on the order of 10(-5) profoundly affects the SC generation in a DFDD-ANDi photonic crystal fiber. Conventional simulations based on the scalar generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation (GNLSE) fail to reproduce the prominent observed features of the SC generation in a short piece (9-cm) of this fiber. However, these features can be qualitatively or semi-quantitatively understood by the coupled GNLSE that takes into account the form-birefringence. The nonlinear polarization effects induced by the birefringence significantly distort the otherwise simple spectrotemporal field of the SC pulses. We therefore propose the fabrication of polarization-maintaining DFDD-ANDi fibers to avoid these adverse effects in pursuing a practical coherent fiber SC laser.

WDM/SDM transmission of 10 x 128-Gb/s PDM-QPSK over 2688-km 7-core fiber with a per-fiber net aggregate spectral-efficiency distance product of 40,320 km·b/s/Hz

We demonstrate 2688-km multi-span transmission using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) of ten 50-GHz spaced 128-Gb/s PDM-QPSK signals, space-division multiplexed (SDM) in a low-crosstalk 76.8-km seven-core fiber, achieving a record net aggregate per-fiber-spectral-efficiency-distance product of 40,320 km·b/s/Hz. The demonstration was enabled by a novel core-to-core signal rotation scheme implemented in a 7-fold, synchronized recirculating loop apparatus.

Multi-function all optical packet switch by periodic wavelength arrangement in an arrayed waveguide grating and wideband optical filters

By utilizing the cyclic filtering function of an NxN arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), we propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel multi-function all optical packet switching (OPS) architecture by applying a periodical wavelength arrangement between the AWG in the optical routing/buffering unit and a set of wideband optical filters in the switched output ports to achieve the desired routing and buffering functions. The proposed OPS employs only one tunable wavelength converter at the input port to convert the input wavelength to a designated wavelength which reduces the number of active optical components and thus the complexity of the traffic control is simplified in the OPS. With the proposed OPS architecture, multiple optical packet switching functions, including arbitrary packet switching and buffering, first-in-first-out (FIFO) packet multiplexing, packet demultiplexing and packet add/drop multiplexing, have been successfully demonstrated.

Phase sensitive amplification in a highly nonlinear lead-silicate fiber

We experimentally demonstrate phase-sensitive amplification in a highly nonlinear and low-dispersion lead-silicate W-type fiber. A phase-sensitive gain variation of 6 dB was observed in a 1.56-m sample of the fiber for a total input pump power of 27.7 dBm.

Sensitivity improvement and carrier power reduction in direct-detection optical OFDM systems by subcarrier pairing

This paper introduces subcarrier pairing to optical OFDM systems and shows, using simulations, that the sensitivity of Direct-Detection Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (DDO-OFDM) systems can be improved by 0.7 dB, without any coding overheads. Subcarrier pairing works because each subcarrier acquires a different electrical Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), which typically increases with the subcarrier's frequency. Pairing the good and bad subcarriers, so that information is split between them, improves the performance of the bad subcarrier more than it degrades the performance of the good subcarrier. This lowers the required Optical Signal to Noise Ratio (OSNR) for the system to give a certain Bit Error Ratio (BER).

On nonlinear distortions of highly dispersive optical coherent systems

We investigate via experiments and simulations the statistical properties and the accumulation of nonlinear transmission impairments in coherent systems without optical dispersion compensation. We experimentally show that signal distortion due to Kerr nonlinearity can be modeled as additive Gaussian noise, and we demonstrate that its variance has a supra-linear dependence on propagation distance for 100 Gb/s transmissions over both low dispersion and standard single mode fiber. We propose a simple empirical model to account for linear and nonlinear noise accumulation, and to predict system performance for a wide range of distances, signal powers and optical noise levels.

A novel scheme for achieving quasi-uniform rate polarization scrambling at 752 krad/s

We propose and demonstrate a novel scheme for obtaining quasi-uniform rate polarization scrambling at up to 752 krad/s in fiber optic systems by using cascaded multiple fiber squeezers with each one placed in a certain orientation. Additionally, this polarization scrambler is compatible with both single-polarization and polarization-multiplexing systems. We also show that scrambled SOP with this scheme uniformly covers the whole Poincare Sphere and that the scrambling rates are mostly concentrated towards the high end of the rate distribution histogram. Such a scrambling scheme is advantageous for the deterministic characterization of performances for modern fiber optic transceivers, especially those deploying coherent detection techniques, against rapid polarization variations.

Evaporation kinetics of laser heated silica in reactive and inert gases based on near-equilibrium dynamics

Evaporation kinetics of fused silica were measured up to ≈3000K using CO(2) laser heating, while solid-gas phase chemistry of silica was assessed with hydrogen, air, and nitrogen. Enhanced evaporation in hydrogen was attributed to an additional reduction pathway, while oxidizing conditions pushed the reaction backwards. The observed mass transport limitations supported use of a near-equilibrium analysis for interpreting kinetic data. A semi-empirical model of the evaporation kinetics is derived that accounts for heating, gas chemistry and transport properties. The approach described should have application to materials laser processing, and in applications requiring knowledge of thermal decomposition chemistry under extreme temperatures.

Diffractive generalized phase contrast for adaptive phase imaging and optical security

We analyze the properties of Generalized Phase Contrast (GPC) when the input phase modulation is implemented using diffractive gratings. In GPC applications for patterned illumination, the use of a dynamic diffractive optical element for encoding the GPC input phase allows for on-the-fly optimization of the input aperture parameters according to desired output characteristics. For wavefront sensing, the achieved aperture control opens a new degree of freedom for improving the accuracy of quantitative phase imaging. Diffractive GPC input modulation also fits well with grating-based optical security applications and can be used to create phase-based information channels for enhanced information security.

Flexible OTDM to WDM converter enabled by a programmable optical processor

We propose an OTDM to WDM converter which enables wavelength tunability, flexible OTDM tributary to WDM channel mapping and modulation format transparency. The converted signals are obtained by four-wave mixing (FWM) the input 160 Gb/s OTDM signal with a multi-wavelength sampling pulse train (SPT). The generation of the multi-wavelength SPT starts by multicasting an optical clock signal. The multicast pulses are then individually delayed and reshaped by a programmable optical processor (POP), resulting in flexible generation of the SPT. Error-free performance was achieved in different OTDM tributary to WDM channel mappings. In addition, intermediate rate conversion (2x80 Gb/s) was also achieved simply by reconfiguring the POP.

Assessing the contribution of cell body and intracellular organelles to the backward light scattering

We report a method of assessing the contribution of whole cell body and its nucleus to the clinically most relevant backward light scattering. We first construct an experimental system that can measure forward scattering and use the system to precisely extract the optical properties of a specimen such as the refractive index contrast, size distribution, and their density. A system that can simultaneously detect the backscattered light is installed to collect the backscattering for the same specimen. By comparing the measured backscattering spectrum with that estimated from the parameters determined by the forward scattering experiment, the contribution of cell body and nucleus to the backward light scattering is quantitatively assessed. For the HeLa cells in suspension, we found that the cell body contributes less than 10% and cell nucleus on the order of 0.1% to the total backscattering signal. Quantitative determination of the origin of backscattered light may help design a system that aims for detecting particular structure of biological tissues.

All-optical scanhead for ultrasound and photoacoustic dual-modality imaging

We propose a new scanhead design for combined ultrasound (US)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging that can be applied to dual-modality microscopy and biomedical imaging. Both imaging modalities employ the optical generation and detection of acoustic waves. The scanhead consists of an optical fiber with an axicon tip for excitation, and a microring for acoustic detection. No conventional piezoelectric device is needed, and the cost of the design makes it suitable for one-time, disposable use. Furthermore, a single laser pulse is employed to generate both US and PA signals. A subband imaging method can be applied to the receiver to enhance the contrast between the US and PA signals. Phantom data demonstrate the feasibility of this approach.

Importance of residual stresses in the Brillouin gain spectrum of single mode optical fibers

Residual stresses inside optical fibers can impact significantly on Brillouin spectrum properties. We have analyzed the importance of internal stresses on the Brillouin Gain Spectrum (BGS) for a conventional G.652 fiber and compared modeling results to measurements. Then the residual internal stresses have been investigated for a set of trench-assisted fibers: fibers are coming from a single preform with different draw tensions. Numerical modeling based on measured internal stresses profiles are compared with corresponding BGS experimental results. Clearly, Brillouin spectrum is shifted linearly versus draw tension with a coefficient of -20MHz/100g and its linewidth increases.

Particle separation in fluidic flow by optical fiber

We report a separation of two different size particles in fluidic flow by an optical fiber. With a light of 1.55 μm launched into the fiber, particles in stationary water were massively trapped and assembled around the fiber by a negative photophoretic force. By introducing a fluidic flow, the assembled particles were separated into two different downstream positions according to their sizes by the negative photophoretic force and the dragging force acted on the particles. The intensity distribution of light leaked from the fiber and the asymmetry factor of energy distribution have been analysed as crucial factors in this separation. Poly(methyl methacrylate) particles (5-/10-μm diameter), SiO(2) particles (2.08-/5.65-μm diameter), and SiO(2) particles (2.08-μm diameter) mixed with yeast cells were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the separation. The separation mechanism has also been numerical simulated and theoretical interpreted.

Photonic ultra-wideband pulse generation, hybrid modulation and dispersion-compensation-free transmission in multi-access communication systems

We propose and demonstrate a scheme for optical ultrawideband (UWB) pulse generation by exploiting a half-carrier-suppressed Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) and a delay-interferometer- and wavelength-division-multiplexer-based, reconfigurable and multi-channel differentiator (DWRMD). Multi-wavelength, polarity- and shape-switchable UWB pulses of monocycle, doublet, triplet, and quadruplet are experimentally generated simply by tuning two bias voltages to modify the carrier-suppression ratio of MZM and the differential order of DWRMD respectively. The pulse position modulation, pulse shape modulation, pulse amplitude modulation and binary phase-shift keying modulation of UWB pulses can also be conveniently realized with the same scheme structure, which indicates that the hybrid modulation of those four formats can be achieved. Consequently, the proposed approach has potential applications in multi-shape, multi-modulation and multi-access UWB-over-fiber communication systems.

Experimental demonstration of 1.08 Tb/s PDM CO-SCFDM transmission over 3170 km SSMF

Coherent optical single-carrier frequency-division-multiplexing (CO-SCFDM) is a promising candidate for future high-speed long-haul optical fiber transmission system. Being a modified form of coherent optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CO-OFDM), the CO-SCFDM can inherit the advantages such as low computation complexity and high flexibility, while suffers less nonlinear impairment due to much lower peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate 1.08 Tb/s polarization-division multiplexing (PDM) CO-SCFDM transmission over 3170 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) with Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) only. The back-to-back and nonlinear transmission performances for CO-OFDM and CO-SCFDM are also compared.

Ultrahigh-speed "orthogonal" TDM transmission with an optical Nyquist pulse train

We propose a novel "orthogonal" TDM transmission scheme using an optical Nyquist pulse that enables us to achieve an ultrahigh data rate and spectral efficiency simultaneously without any intersymbol interference (ISI). We analytically describe the principle of orthogonal TDM, and demonstrate a 160 Gbaud optical orthogonal TDM transmission using 40 GHz optical Nyquist pulses. Tolerance to GVD and the dispersion slope is significantly improved by virtue of the orthogonality, reduced bandwidth, and minimum ISI.

Crosstalk in multicore fibers with randomness: gradual drift vs. short-length variations

Random perturbations play an important role in the crosstalk of multicore fibers, and can be captured by statistical coupled-mode calculations. In this approach, phase matching contributes a multiplicative factor to the average crosstalk, depending on the perturbation statistics and any intentional heterogeneity of neighboring cores. The impact of perturbations is shown to be qualitatively different depending on whether they are gradually varying, or have short-length (centimeter-scale) variations. This insight implies a novel crosstalk suppression strategy: fast modulation of a bend perturbation by spinning the fiber can disrupt the bend-induced phase matching.

Polarization scattering by intra-channel collisions

We show that polarization modulated and polarization multiplexed transmission may be significantly impaired by the polarization scattering induced by intra-channel cross-phase modulation and four-wave mixing. In polarization multiplexed transmission, channel interleaving may be used to mitigate the effect when two-pulse collisions are dominant.

Elliptical defected core photonic crystal fiber with high birefringence and negative flattened dispersion

We propose a novel design of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) using an elliptical air hole in the core as a defected core in order to enhance the performance of modal birefringence and to control the properties of chromatic dispersion at the same time. From the simulation results, it is shown that the proposed fiber has high birefringence up to the order of 10(-2), negative flattened chromatic dispersion in a broad range of wavelengths, and low confinement loss less than that of the single mode fiber. The outstanding advantage of the proposed PCF is that high birefringence, negative flattened dispersion, and low confinement loss can be achieved just by adding a small sized elliptical air hole in the core to the elliptical air hole PCF, especially at the same time.

Dynamic on-demand defragmentation in flexible bandwidth elastic optical networks

While flexible bandwidth elastic optical networking is a promising direction for future networks, the spectral fragmentation problem in such a network inevitably raises the blocking probability and significantly degrades network performance. This paper addresses the spectral defragmentation problem using an auxiliary graph based approach, which transforms the problem into a matter of finding the maximum independent set (MIS) in the constructed auxiliary graph. The enabling technologies and defragmentation-capable node architectures, together with heuristic defragmentation algorithms are proposed and evaluated. Simulation results show that the proposed min-cost defragmentation algorithms can significantly reduce the blocking probability of incoming requests in a spectrally fragmented flexible bandwidth optical network, while substantially minimizing the number of disrupted connections.

[The giant fungal body in the sphenoidal sinus and the destruction of the skull base]

The objective of the present study was to estimate the efficacy of the optical systems with the variable visual field angle applied for the endoscopic interventions on the paranasal sinuses. The authors report a clinical observation of the patient presenting with the giant fungal body in the sphenoidal sinus responsible for the partial destruction of the bone canal of the optic nerve and the internal carotid artery. The patient was treated by endoscopic shenoidotomy through the paraseptal approach with the use of a sinuscope with the variable visual field angle. It was shown that the use of optical devices with the variable visual field angle makes it possible to significantly reduce the duration of the surgical intervention, facilitates orientation in the difficult-of-access regions , and ensures adequate control during the removal of neoplasms at the basis of the skull.

Effective supercontinuum generation by using highly nonlinear dispersion-shifted fiber incorporated with Si nanocrystals

The dispersion-shifted fiber (DSF) incorporated with Si nanocrystals (Si-NCs) having highly nonlinear optical property was fabricated to investigate the effective supercontinuum generation characteristics by using the MCVD process and the drawing process. Optical nonlinearity was enhanced by incorporating Si nanocrystals in the core of the fiber and the refractive index profile of a dispersion-shifted fiber was employed to match its zero-dispersion wavelength to that of the commercially available pumping source for generating effective supercontinuum. The non-resonant nonlinear refractive index, n2, of the Si-NCs doped DSF measured by the cw-SPM method was measured to be 7.03 x 10(-20) [m2/W] and the coefficient of non-resonant nonlinearity, gamma, was 7.14 [W(-1) km(-1)]. To examine supercontinuum generation of the Si-NCs doped DSF, the femtosecond fiber laser with the pulse width of 150 fs (at 1560 nm) was launched into the fiber core. The output spectrum of the Si-NCs doped DSF was found to broaden from 1300 nm to wavelength well beyond 1700 nm, which can be attributed to the enhanced optical nonlinearity by Si-NCs embedded in the fiber core. The short wavelength of the supercontinuum spectrum in the Si-NCs doped DSF showed shift from 1352 nm to 1220 nm for the fiber length of 2.5 m and 200 m, respectively.

Development of a 2-channel embedded infrared fiber-optic temperature sensor using silver halide optical fibers

A 2-channel embedded infrared fiber-optic temperature sensor was fabricated using two identical silver halide optical fibers for accurate thermometry without complicated calibration processes. In this study, we measured the output voltages of signal and reference probes according to temperature variation over a temperature range from 25 to 225 °C. To decide the temperature of the water, the difference between the amounts of infrared radiation emitted from the two temperature sensing probes was measured. The response time and the reproducibility of the fiber-optic temperature sensor were also obtained. Thermometry with the proposed sensor is immune to changes if parameters such as offset voltage, ambient temperature, and emissivity of any warm object. In particular, the temperature sensing probe with silver halide optical fibers can withstand a high temperature/pressure and water-chemistry environment. It is expected that the proposed sensor can be further developed to accurately monitor temperature in harsh environments.

Temporal evolution and correlation between cooperative luminescence and photodarkening in ytterbium doped silica fibers

The present work describes photodarkening from the viewpoint of cooperative luminescence. The temporal evolution of both effects was measured simultaneously by means of ytterbium doped aluminosilicate fibers for concentrations up to 1.8 wt% Yb3+. The quadratic dependence of photodarkening and cooperative luminescence versus dopant concentration was observed. The change in the photodarkening and cooperative luminescence mutual dynamics for highly and low doped fibers is ascribed to a different ion number which forms the cluster. Cooperative luminescence is proved to be a natural probe for photodarkening since it provides new pieces of information and contributes to the photodarkening mechanism description.

Generation of broadband longitudinal fields for applications to ultrafast tip-enhanced near-field microscopy

We report on the generation of broadband longitudinal fields within a tightly focused spot by using a segmented wave plate combined with a phase tailored broadband laser pulse. Their field distribution is characterized by observing the scattered light from a gold-coated glass fiber tip as it is scanned across the focused beam spot. It is observed that efficient coupling to the tip-enhanced field can be achieved over a broad bandwidth of more than 100nm, resulting in a positive contrast at the centre of the focus in the spectrally resolved Rayleigh scattering image. Temporal characteristics of the nonlinear excitation at the tip apex observed by using the fringe resolved autocorrelation technique indicate the possibilities of ultrafast spectroscopy by utilizing the tip-enhanced longitudinal fields.

Calibrating single-ended fiber-optic Raman spectra distributed temperature sensing data

Hydrologic research is a very demanding application of fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS) in terms of precision, accuracy and calibration. The physics behind the most frequently used DTS instruments are considered as they apply to four calibration methods for single-ended DTS installations. The new methods presented are more accurate than the instrument-calibrated data, achieving accuracies on the order of tenths of a degree root mean square error (RMSE) and mean bias. Effects of localized non-uniformities that violate the assumptions of single-ended calibration data are explored and quantified. Experimental design considerations such as selection of integration times or selection of the length of the reference sections are discussed, and the impacts of these considerations on calibrated temperatures are explored in two case studies.

Image-guided fiberoptic molecular imaging in a VX2 rabbit lung tumor model

PURPOSE

To show the feasibility of computed tomography (CT) image-guided fiberoptic confocal fluorescence molecular imaging in a rabbit lung tumor model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eight lung tumor models were created by injection of a VX2 cell suspension. The fluorescent imaging agent IntegriSense 680 was given to the animals 3.5-4 hours before the procedure. CT images were obtained and transferred to the minimally invasive multimodality image-guided (MIMIG) system as a guidance map. A real-time electromagnetically tracked needle was inserted under the visual guidance of the MIMIG system. A second CT image was obtained to confirm the location of the needle tip. Next, fiberoptic fluorescence imaging was acquired along the needle track. Finally, tumor samples were obtained for histopathologic confirmation.

RESULTS

All cases were performed during breath-hold. Tumor size was 12.5 mm ± 1.6; the distance from the chest wall was 2.1 mm ± 0.5. The needle tip reached the tumor in all cases with an accuracy of 3.3 mm ± 1.6. Only one skin entry point was necessary, and no needle adjustments were required. No pneumothorax was observed. At least two-fold α(v)β(3) integrin image contrast was detected in the tumor compared with normal lung tissue. Tumor samples were confirmed to have viable VX2 cells and contrast uptake.

CONCLUSIONS

The MIMIG system enables effective in situ fluorescence molecular imaging in a needle biopsy lung procedure. In situ α(v)β(3) integrin molecular imaging allows molecular characterization of lung tumors at multiple regions and can be used to guide biopsy procedures.

Photoinduced electron transfer based ion sensing within an optical fiber

We combine suspended-core microstructured optical fibers with the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) effect to demonstrate a new type of fluorescent optical fiber-dip sensing platform for small volume ion detection. A sensor design based on a simple model PET-fluoroionophore system and small core microstructured optical fiber capable of detecting sodium ions is demonstrated. The performance of the dip sensor operating in a high sodium concentration regime (925 ppm Na(+)) and for lower sodium concentration environments (18.4 ppm Na(+)) is explored and future approaches to improving the sensor's signal stability, sensitivity and selectivity are discussed.