Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T17:57:37.458Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Applications of Active Thin Film Coatings on Optical Fibers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

G. R. Fox
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Ceramics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, [email protected]
C.A.P. Muller
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Ceramics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, [email protected]
C. R. Wüthrich
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Ceramics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, [email protected]
A. L. Kholkin
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Ceramics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, [email protected]
N. Setter
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Ceramics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, [email protected]
D. M. Costantini
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Optics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
N. H. Ky
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Optics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
H. G. Limberger
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Optics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Get access

Abstract

Active thin film coatings on optical fibers provide a variety of functions that are being used to develop active all-fiber optical devices. Two types of active coatings that are of interest for device development include resistive and piezoelectric coatings. Resistive coatings can be used to heat an optical fiber, while piezoelectric coatings can be used to strain the fiber. Localized changes in the fiber waveguiding properties can be achieved by electrically activating the fiber coating. These coated fibers show promise for applications such as optical phase shifters and modulators.

Recent developments in the fabrication of diffraction gratings within the core of an optical fiber have provided the means for making a variety of intra-core reflection and band pass filters. By combining these passive intra-core fiber devices with active coatings, wavelength tunable devices have been demonstrated. Wavelength tunable devices are expected to have a variety of applications in telecommunications and sensing networks. A review of recent developments in fiber coating and analysis techniques, device fabrication, and applications of active all-fiber devices are presented along with a discussion of which coating materials are of interest in active devices.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. White, B.J., Davis, J.P., Bobb, L.C., Krumboltz, H.D., and Larson, D.C., J. Lightwave Technol, LT-5 (9), 1169 (1987).Google Scholar
2. Czaplak, D.S., Weiler, J.F., Goldberg, L., Hickernell, F.S., Knuth, H.D., and Young, S.R., IEEE Ultrason. Symp. Proc, 491 (1987).Google Scholar
3. Dandridge, A., Tveten, A.B., and Giallorenzi, T.G., Electron. Lett., 17 (15) 523 (1981).Google Scholar
4. Fox, G.R., Setter, N., and Limberger, H.G., J. Mater. Res., 11 (8), 2051 (1996).Google Scholar
5. Fox, G.R., Wüthrich, C.R., Muller, C.A.P., Setter, N., and Limberger, H.G., submitted to Ferroelectrics, (1996).Google Scholar
6. Fox, G.R., Trolier-McKinstry, S., Krupanidhi, S.B., and Casas, L.M., J. Mater. Res., 10 (6), 1508 (1995).Google Scholar
7. Fox, G.R., Muller, C.A.P., Setter, N., Costantini, D.M., Ky, N.H., and Limberger, H.G., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 15 (3), (1997).Google Scholar
8. Fox, G.R., Damjanovic, D., Danai, P.A., Setter, N., Limberger, H.G., and Ky, N.H., in Materials for Smart Systems, edited by George, E.P., Takahashi, S., Trolier-McKinstry, S., Uchino, K., and Wun-Fogle, M., (Mater. Res. Soc. Proc, Vol. 360, Materials Research Society, Pittsburg, PA, 1995) pp. 389394.Google Scholar
9. Ky, N.H., Limberger, H.G., Salame, R.P. and Fox, G.R., IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., 8 (5), 629 (1996).Google Scholar
10. Donalds, L.J., French, W.G., Mitchell, W.C., Swinehart, R.M., and Wei, T., Electron. Lett., 18 (8), 327 (1982).Google Scholar
11. Jarzynski, J., J. Appl. Phys., 55 (9) 3243 (1984).Google Scholar
12. Imai, M., Shimizu, T., Ohtsuka, Y., and Odajima, A., J. Lightwave Technol, LT-5 (7), 926 (1987).Google Scholar
13. Fox, G.R., Muller, C.A.P., Setter, N., Ky, N.H., and Limberger, H.G., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 14 (3), 800 (1996).Google Scholar
14. Yi, G., Sayer, M., Jen, C.K., Yu, J.C.H., and Adler, E.L., IEEE Ultranson. Symp. Proc., 1231 (1989).Google Scholar
15. Gusarov, A., Ky, N.H., Limberger, H.G., Salatile, R.P., and Fox, G.R., J. Lightwave Technol. 14 (12), (1996).Google Scholar
16. Ky, N.H., Limberger, H.G., Salamé, R.P., and Fox, G.R., Optical Fiber Communication Conference, Vol. 2 1996 OSA Technical Digest Series (Optical Society of America, Washington, D.C., 1996), pp. 244245.Google Scholar
17. Fox, G.R., Muller, C.A.P., Kuhn, M., Setter, N., Ky, N.H., and Limberger, H.G., in Microelectronic Structures and Microelectromechanical Devices for Optical Processing and Multimedia Applications, edited by Bailey, W., Edward Motamedi, M., and Luo, F.C., (Proc. SPIE, Vol. 2641, SPIE, Bellingham, WA, 1995) pp. 5561.Google Scholar
18. Meltz, G. and Morey, W.W., in International Workshop on Photoinduced Self-Organization Effects in Optical Fiber, (Proc. SPIE, Vol. 1516, SPIE, Bellingham, WA, 1991) pp. 185199.Google Scholar
19. Limberger, H.G., Fonjallaz, P.Y., Salatile, R.P., and Cochet, F., Appl. Phys. Lett., 68 (22), 3069, (1996).Google Scholar
20. Meltz, G., Morey, W.W., and Glenn, W.H., Optics Lett., 14 (15), 823 (1989).Google Scholar
21. Morey, W.W., Meltz, G., and Glenn, W.H., in Fiber Optic and Laser Sensors VII, (Proc. SPIE, Vol. 1169, SPIE, Bellingham, WA, 1989) pp. 98107.Google Scholar
22. Ky, N. H., Limberger, H.G., Costantini, D.M., Salathé, R.P., Muller, C.A.P., and Fox, G.R., submitted to CLEO'97 (Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics)Google Scholar
23. Patrick, H., Gilbert, S.L., Lidgard, A., and Gallagher, M.D., J. Appl. Phys., 78 (5), 2940 (1996).Google Scholar
24. Trolier-McKinstry, S., Fox, G.R., Kholkin, A.L., Muller, C.A.P., and Setter, N., in Materials for Smart Systems II, (Mater. Res. Soc. Proc, this volume, Materials Research Society, Pittsburg, PA, 1997).Google Scholar