Modal interferometer for in situ measurements of induced core index change in optical fibers

Recording the angular dispersion of a terahertz beam into its frequency spectrum for fast measurements

The frequency-dependent divergence angle of terahertz (THz) beams is a crucial aspect in understanding the generation and transmission of broadband THz waves. However, traditional beam profiling methods, such as 1D or 2D translation/rotation scanning detection, are time-consuming and wasteful of THz energy, making them unsuitable for fast measurement applications, such as single-shot THz generation and detection. Here, we proposed a simple solution that involves passing the THz beam through a core-anti-resonant reflective (CARR) cavity (e.g., a paper tube). The spatial information of the beam is then recorded into its frequency spectrum, which can be easily detected by a following traditional THz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) system or a single-shot sampling setup. Our method enables the acquisition of the angular dispersion without repetitive measurements, and represents a significant step forward in fast and efficient achievement of spatial properties of broadband THz beams.

Modal interferometric refractive index sensing in microstructured exposed core fibres

Optical fibre-based sensors measuring refractive index shift in bodily fluids and tissues are versatile and accurate probes of physiological processes. Here, we suggest a refractive index sensor based on a microstructured exposed-core fibre (ECF). By considering a high refractive index coating of the exposed core, our modelling demonstrates the splitting of the guided mode into a surface sensing mode and a mode that is isolated from the surface. With the isolated mode acting as a reference arm, this two-mode one-fibre solution provides for robust interferometric sensing with a sensitivity of up to 60, 000 rad/RIU-cm, which is suitable for sensing subtle physiological processes within hard-to-reach places inside living organisms, such as the spinal cord, ovarian tract and blood vessels.

Highly Sensitive Strain Sensor Based on a Novel Mach-Zehnder Interferometer with TCF-PCF Structure

A highly sensitive strain sensor based on a novel fiber in line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) was demonstrated experimentally. The MZI was realized by splicing a section of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with the same length of thin core fiber (TCF) between two single mode fibers (SMFs). The fringe visibility of MZI can reach as high as 20 dB in air. In particular, the strain sensitivity of −1.95 pm/με was achieved within a range from 0 to 4000 με. Furthermore, the strain properties of different length of MZI was investigated. It was found that the sensitivity was weekly dependent on the length of MZI. The strain sensitivities corresponding to the MZI with 35 mm PCF, 40 mm PCF and 45 mm PCF at 1550 nm band were −1.78 pm/με, −1.73 pm/με and −1.63 pm/με, respectively. Additionally, the sensor has advantages of simple fabrication, compact size and high sensitivity as well as good fringe visibility.

Asymmetric transmission and reflection spectra of FBG in single-multi-single mode fiber structure

We give a comprehensive theoretical analysis and simulation of a FBG in single-multi-single mode fiber structure (FBG-in-SMS), based on the coupled mode analysis and the mode interference analysis. This enables us to explain the experimental observations, its asymmetric transmission and reflection spectra with the similar temperature responses near the spectral range of Bragg wavelengths. The transmission spectrum shift during FBG written-in process is observed and discussed. The analysis results are useful in the design of the SMS structure based sensors and filters.

The transition from single molecule to ensemble revealed by fluorescence polarization

Fluorescence polarization measurements in the condensed phase provide rich information on rotational dynamics and interactions between macromolecules. An important parameter in these studies is the limiting polarization or po which is the emission polarization in the absence of molecular rotation. Here we explore how molecular number averaging affects the observed value of po. Using a simple mathematical model we show that for a collection of fluorescent dipoles (1-50 molecules) the fluorescence polarization (p) increases with the number of molecules (N) due to the progressive onset of photo-selection with a relation of the form p = po(1 - N(-β)). This concept is demonstrated experimentally using single molecule polarization measurements of perylene diimide dye molecules in a rigid polymer matrix where it is shown that the average emission polarization increases significantly when the number of molecules per averaging window is increased from 1 to 10 molecules. These results suggest that the definition of limiting polarization needs to be refined in the quasi-single molecule regime. Moreover, these results pave a new way for measuring clustering of molecules from single cluster polarization histograms.

All-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometers for sensing applications

We propose and demonstrate a thinned fiber based Mach-Zehnder interferometer for multi-purpose sensing applications. The sensor head is formed by all-fiber in-line singlemode-multimode-thinned-singlemode (SMTS) fiber structure, only using the splicing method. The principle of operation relies on the effect that the thinned fiber cladding modes interference with the core mode by employing a multimode fiber as a mode coupler. Experimental results showed that the liquid refractive index information can be simultaneously provided from measuring the sensitivity of the liquid level. A 9.00 mm long thinned fiber sensor at a wavelength of 1538.7228 nm exhibits a water level sensitivity of -175.8 pm/mm, and refractive index sensitivity as high as -1868.42 (pm/mm)/RIU, respectively. The measuring method is novel, for the first time to our knowledge. In addition, it also demonstrates that by monitoring the wavelength shift, the sensor at a wavelength of 1566.4785 nm exhibits a refractive index sensitivity of -25.2935 nm/RIU, temperature sensitivity of 0.0615 nm/°C, and axial strain sensitivity of -2.99 pm/με, respectively. Moreover, the sensor fabrication process is very simple and cost effective.

Magnetic field measurements based on Terfenol coated photonic crystal fibers

A magnetic field sensor based on the integration of a high birefringence photonic crystal fiber and a composite material made of Terfenol particles and an epoxy resin is proposed. An in-fiber modal interferometer is assembled by evenly exciting both eigenemodes of the HiBi fiber. Changes in the cavity length as well as the effective refractive index are induced by exposing the sensor head to magnetic fields. The magnetic field sensor has a sensitivity of 0.006 (nm/mT) over a range from 0 to 300 mT with a resolution about ±1 mT. A fiber Bragg grating magnetic field sensor is also fabricated and employed to characterize the response of Terfenol composite to the magnetic field.

Hydrostatic pressure sensing with high birefringence photonic crystal fibers

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the waveguiding properties of high birefringence photonic crystal fibers (HiBi PCF) is evaluated both numerically and experimentally. A fiber design presenting form birefringence induced by two enlarged holes in the innermost ring defining the fiber core is investigated. Numerical results show that modal sensitivity to the applied pressure depends on the diameters of the holes, and can be tailored by independently varying the sizes of the large or small holes. Numerical and experimental results are compared showing excellent agreement. A hydrostatic pressure sensor is proposed and demonstrated using an in-fiber modal interferometer where the two orthogonally polarized modes of a HiBi PCF generate fringes over the optical spectrum of a broad band source. From the analysis of experimental results, it is concluded that, in principle, an operating limit of 92 MPa in pressure could be achieved with 0.0003% of full scale resolution.

Refractive index change in ytterbium-doped fibers induced by photodarkening and thermal bleaching

High-accuracy measurements and analysis of refractive index change induced by photodarkening and thermal bleaching in ytterbium-doped fibers are presented, based on a modal interference method. Photodarkening-induced refractive index change is positive at the ytterbium lasing wavelengths near 1080 nm, and it approaches a saturated level, which is in the order of 10(-6)∼10(-5) for the tested fiber samples. It is found that the value of this refractive index change is linearly proportional to the photodarkening-induced excess loss at an arbitrary probe wavelength in the visible band. Thermal bleaching can only partially erase the photodarkening-induced refractive index change, leaving a residual index change of (0.2∼0.3)×10(-5). The influence of the photodarkening-induced refractive index change on fiber lasers is discussed.

Temperature- and phase-independent lateral force sensor based on a core-offset multi-mode fiber interferometer

A novel lateral force sensor based on a core-offset multi-mode fiber (MMF) interferometer is reported. High extinction ratio can be obtained by misaligning a fused cross section between the single-mode fiber (SMF) and MMF. With the variation of the lateral force applied to a short section of the MMF, the extinction ratio changes while the interference phase remains almost constant. The change of the extinction ratio is independent of temperature variations. The proposed force sensor has the advantages of temperature- and phase-independency, high extinction ratio sensitivity, good repeatability, low cost, and simple structure. Moreover, the core-offset MMF interferometer is expected to have applications in fiber filters and tunable phase-independent attenuators.

High temperature fiber sensor with high sensitivity based on core diameter mismatch

We report a simple fiber sensor for measurement of high temperature with high sensitivity. The sensing head is a multimode-single mode-multimode (MM-SM-MM) fiber configuration formed by splicing a section of uncoated single mode fiber (SMF) with two short sections of multimode fibers (MMF) whose core is composed of pure silica. Because of the mode-field mismatch at the splicing points of the SMF with 2 sections of MMFs, as well as index matching between the core of the MMF and the cladding of the SMF, optical power from the lead-in fiber can be partly coupled to the cladding modes of the SMF through the MMF. The cladding modes of the SMF then re-coupled to the lead-out fiber, in the same fashion. Due to the effective index difference between the core and cladding modes, an interference pattern in the transmission spectrum of the proposed device was obtained. The interference pattern was found to shift to the longer wavelength region with respect to temperature variation. The temperature sensor can measure temperature stably up to more than 900 degrees C with sensitivity of 0.088 nm/ degrees C.

Use of modal interference for probing birefringence induced in a bent optical fiber

We report a novel method that utilizes two lowest-order modes, HE(11) and TE(01), to probe birefringence induced in a bent circular-core optical fiber. The interference patterns of the two modes are examined by using a polarizer at the fiber output end. The contrast that is extracted from the interference pattern is periodically modulated as a function of phase retardation between the two modes, while the shift of the contrast function shows a strong dependence on the fiber birefringence as the polarizer rotates. Theoretical description followed by the test results demonstrates the feasibility of the method.

Efficient Bragg gratings in phosphosilicate and germanosilicate photonic crystal fiber

We present ArF laser-induced dynamics of Bragg grating (BG) growths in phosphosilicate-doped or germanosilicate-doped core photonic crystal fibers (PCFs). To this end, we have adapted the technique of H2 loading, usually used in conventional fiber, to the case of microstructured fiber, allowing both the concentration of hydrogen in the PCFs to be kept nearly constant for the time of the exposure and the BG spectra to be easily recorded. We compared the characteristics of BG growths in the two types of PCF to those in conventional step-index fibers. We then conducted a study of the thermal stability of the BGs in PCFs through 30 min of isochronal annealing. At the same time we discuss the role played by the microstructuration and the doping with regard to the grating contrast and the Bragg wavelength stability.

Use of liquid-crystal-clad fiber as a modal filter for a two-mode fiber-optic interferometer

A novel two-mode fiber-optic interferometer employing a liquid-crystal-clad fiber as a modal filter is proposed. The liquid-crystal-clad fiber can guide one of the second-order modes, TE01, and leak out the other TM01 and HE21 modes. Thus two spatial modes, fundamental mode HE11 and second-order mode TE01 serve as the two arms of the interferometer to detect an external perturbation. The experimental results obtained when this interferometer was used to sense temperatures ranging from 20 to 100 degrees C are demonstrated.

Grating-based transmission bandpass filters using dispersion-matched mode conversion

A narrow-bandpass filter with a 15-dB signal-to-noise level is demonstrated using Bragg-grating assisted mode conversion within a tapered waveguide. The potential effects of such filters in wavelength-division multiplexing systems are discussed.