Noninvasive switchable acousto-optic taps for optical fiber

Author

Patterson, David B. ; Howell, Michial D. ; Digonnet, Michel ; Kino, Gordon S. ; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T.

Author_Institution

E.L. Ginzton Lab., Stanford Univ., CA, USA

Volume

8

Issue

9

fYear

1990

fDate

9/1/1990 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1304

Lastpage

1312

Abstract

Two novel tap designs are demonstrated based on phase-matched coupling from the fundamental mode of a fiber to a higher-order core-guided or cladding-guided mode through the acoustooptic effect. The acoustic waves are coupled to the fiber using a Hertzian (deformed surface-to-surface) contact with a grooved transducer substrate. The first tap consists of a two-mode fiber coupler in conjunction with a microbend tap. The coupler converts approximately 5% of the fundamental mode power to the second-order mode. At the microbend tap, the higher-order mode is preferentially radiated from the fiber. The second tap uses a similar mode-coupling mechanism to convert a fraction of the fundamental mode power into a cladding-guided mode in a single-mode fiber

Keywords

acousto-optical devices; optical communication equipment; optical couplers; optical fibres; acoustic waves; cladding-guided mode; fundamental mode; grooved transducer substrate; higher order core guided mode; microbend tap; mode-coupling mechanism; noninvasive switchable acousto-optic taps Hertzian contact; optical fiber; phase-matched coupling; second-order mode; tap designs; two-mode fiber coupler; Dielectrics; Electromagnetic waveguides; Optical coupling; Optical fiber LAN; Optical fiber communication; Optical fiber couplers; Optical fiber devices; Optical fiber filters; Optical fibers; Optical waveguides;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.59157

Filename

59157