Topology and shape optimizations of substrates for chirp fiber Bragg grating spectrum tuning

A systematic method based on topology and shape optimization techniques has been developed to determine the geometry of a substrate for chirp fiber Bragg grating (FBG) spectrum tuning. The strain distribution on the FBG associated with a given wavelength spectrum is synthesized first by the application of a genetic algorithm. Then the substrate profiles determined either from topology or shape optimizations can generate the required strain distribution on FBG that responds to the required wavelength spectrum of a chirp FBG. The profile obtained from shape optimization, compared with that from topology optimization, has clear advantages in easier manufacturing and better liability. Although the strain distribution of a chirp FBG demonstrated here is simple in this study, it should be emphasized that this methodology also can be easily applied to determine other substrate profile whose strain distribution is regarding to a more complex wavelength spectrum of an FBG.