Matteo Foroni

Polarization splitter based on a square-lattice photonic-crystal fiber

A three-core polarization splitter based on a square-lattice photonic-crystal fiber is presented. The component separates the input field into two orthogonally polarized beams that are coupled to the horizontal and vertical output ports. The splitter has been designed through modal and beam propagation analysis by employing high-performance codes based on the finite-element method. Results obtained for a device length of 20 mm show extinction ratios as low as -23 dB with bandwidths as great as 90 nm.

Single-mode regime of square-lattice photonic crystal fibers

The modal cutoff of square-lattice photonic crystal fibers with a finite number of air-hole rings has been accurately investigated to our knowledge for the first time. By analyzing the leaky behavior of the second-order mode, we have obtained a phase diagram that describes the regions of single-mode and multimode operation as well as the endlessly single-mode regime. Furthermore, starting from these results, we have obtained the cutoff normalized frequency according to two different formulations of the V parameter previously adopted for fibers with a triangular lattice. A final comparison of the cutoff properties of fibers characterized by a square lattice and a triangular lattice has been carried out.

All-Silica Hollow-Core Microstructured Bragg Fibers for Biosensor Application

The possibility to exploit all-silica hollow-core microstructured Bragg fibers to realize a biosensor useful to detect the DNA hybridization process has been investigated. A Bragg fiber recently fabricated has been considered for the analysis performed by means of a full-vector modal solver based on the finite-element method. Since the DNA molecules necessary for the biosensor realization are in aqueous solution, it has been taken into account a microstructured fiber with water-filled holes. The dispersion curve and the confinement loss spectrum have been calculated in order to understand how a biofilm layer on the inner surface of the fiber holes can modify the fundamental mode properties. The numerical analysis results have successfully demonstrated the DNA bio-sensor feasibility in hollow-core Bragg fibers.

S-band depressed-cladding erbium-doped fiber amplifier with double-pass configuration

A new S-band erbium-doped fiber amplifier module with a double-pass configuration based on two circulators has been designed and constructed. The bending losses of a depressed-cladding doped fiber have been exploited to suppress the amplified spontaneous emission in the C band. The experimental characterization of the double-pass amplifier has shown that significant advantages can be obtained with respect to the single-pass configuration.

Numerical Modeling of S-Band EDFA Based on Distributed Fiber Loss

A numerical model for the analysis and design of S-band erbium-doped fiber amplifiers has been developed. The model is able to accurately predict the amplifier performances by taking into account the amplified spontaneous emission suppression due to the bending, as well as leakage losses of the fiber used as active medium. The model has been validated by comparing numerical and experimental data of bending loss, amplifier gain, and noise figure of an S-band optical amplifier based on a depressed-cladding erbium-doped fiber. A good agreement has been verified by varying fiber bending radius, input signal power, and wavelength. The model has been then applied to the optimization of the amplifier performances for wavelength-division multiplexer applications. The numerical results show that 20-25 dB gain can be achieved over a 25-30 nm range centered in a different part of the S-band from 1460 to 1525 nm, just by changing the bending radius and the length of a depressed-cladding fiber.

Silica bridge impact on hollow-core Bragg fiber transmission properties

The silica bridges impact on the hollow-core Bragg fiber guiding properties is investigated. Results demonstrate that silica nanosupports are responsible for the surface mode presence, which causes the peaks experimentally measured in the transmission spectrum.

Guiding Properties of Silica/Air Hollow-Core Bragg Fibers

The guiding properties of realistic silica/air hollow-core Bragg fibers have been investigated by calculating the dispersion curves, the confinement loss spectrum, and the field distribution of the guided modes through a full-vector modal solver based on the finite-element method. In particular, the silica bridge influence on the fundamental mode has been analyzed by comparing the properties of an ideal structure, without the silica nanosupports, and of two realistic fibers, with squared off and rounded air-holes. Simulation results have demonstrated the presence of anticrossing points in the dispersion curves, associated to the transition of the fundamental mode into a surface mode. It has been shown that surface modes are responsible for the sharp loss peaks, also experimentally measured, which pollute the loss spectrum of the fundamental mode and of the higher order modes. Then, the influence on the guiding properties of each geometric characteristic in the hollow-core Bragg fiber cross-section has been deeply investigated, thus showing which parameter it is better to change in order to properly modify the loss values or its spectral behavior. Moreover, in order to improve the loss properties of hollow-core Bragg fibers, the number of silica and air layers in the fiber cladding has been increased, and the layer thickness has been modified. Results have shown that the first change is more effective for the loss reduction, while the second is useful for a spectral shift. Finally, among the different possible applications, the feasibility of a DNA biosensor based on a hollow-core Bragg fiber has been demonstrated.

Confinement loss spectral behavior in hollow-core Bragg fibers

The influence of each cross-section geometric parameter on hollow-core Bragg fiber guiding properties has been numerically investigated. Fabricated fibers have been modeled, giving insight into the spectral behavior of the confinement loss. It has been verified that, by changing the amount of silica and air in the fiber cladding, it is possible to change the reflection conditions undergone by the field within the core, thus shifting the confinement loss spectrum.

S-Band EDFA with ASE Suppression Induced by Bending Loss of Depressed-Cladding Active Fiber

A S-band single-stage depressed-cladding silica-based EDFA has been obtained by suppressing C-band ASE through the bending losses. A 25.3 dB gain has been obtained at 1504 nm for a bending diameter of 15 cm.

Air-guiding photonic crystal fibers with modified honeycomb lattice

Air-guiding has been demonstrated in a modified honeycomb photonic crystal fiber. The confinement losses and dispersion properties are numerically investigated by means of the finite element method (FEM). A guided mode with more than 98% of power propagating in air has been found over a wavelength range of about 200 nm. By means of a proper design, confinement losses lower than 0.1 dB/Km at /spl lambda/ = 1.55 /spl mu/m can be obtained with ten cell rings and an air filling fraction of 74.4%.