Guiyao Zhou

Study of the sensitivity of gas sensing by use of index-guiding photonic crystal fibers

We demonstrate an absorption transmission spectrum of CH(4) in a 16.9 cm long index-guiding photonic crystal fiber (PCF) fabricated in our laboratory. One of the main factors to improve the sensitivity is to increase the fraction of power in PCF cladding air holes. We study the fraction of power in PCF cladding air holes as a function of the index-guiding PCF parameters. We found that a PCF with small spacing and a large air-filling ratio has a higher fraction of power in its cladding air holes. At the same time the mode area in this PCF is small and would generate strong nonlinear effects in the fiber. If we use a PCF in which the core is formed by missing seven air holes, it is immediately obvious that the PCF used as a sensor has higher sensitivity and a larger mode area.

Improved fully vectorial effective index method in photonic crystal fiber

In the simulation of photonic crystal fibers, the fixed value of the normalized equivalent core radius (p/Lambda) in the fully vectorial effective index method is inaccurate. For what is believed to be the first time, the relation of p/Lambda with normalized frequency (Lambda/lambda) and hole-to-pitch ratio (d/Lambda) is obtained. The improved fully vectorial effective index method (IFVEIM) is proposed. The modal properties computed with the IFVEIM, such as the effective index and the total dispersion, are closely matched to those of the multipole method as well as to experimental values, and the errors of the effective index have been reduced by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude.