Nader A. Issa

Microstructured polymer optical fibre

The first microstructured polymer optical fibre is described. Both experimental and theoretical evidence is presented to establish that the fibre is effectively single moded at optical wavelengths. Polymer-based microstructured optical fibres offer key advantages over both conventional polymer optical fibres and glass microstructured fibres. The low-cost manufacturability and the chemical flexibility of the polymers provide great potential for applications in data communication networks and for the development of a range of new polymer-based fibre-optic components.

Fabrication and study of microstructured optical fibers with elliptical holes

We report the fabrication of what are believed to be the first microstructured optical fibers with uniformly oriented elliptical holes. A high degree of hole ellipticity is achieved with a simple technique that relies on hole deformation during fiber draw. Both form and stress-optic birefringence are characterized over a broad wavelength range. These measurements are in excellent agreement with numerical modeling and demonstrate a birefringence as high as 1.0 x 10(-4) at a wavelength of 850 nm.

Vector wave expansion method for leaky modes of microstructured optical fibers

A new method for calculating the confinement loss of leaky modes in arbitrary microstructured optical fibers is presented. The full vector algorithm is based on a polar coordinate Fourier decomposition method with adjustable boundary conditions, capable of accurately determining the outward radiating fields of the waveguide. Example waveguides with circular and elliptical hole shapes and their leaky mode solutions are presented and discussed.

Recent progress in microstructured polymer optical fibre fabrication and characterisation

Recent progress in microstructured polymer optical fibre fabrication and characterisation will be presented. A wide range of different optical functionalities can now be obtained by modifications of the microstructure, as is demonstrated by the fibres presented here. Microstructured fibres that are single-mode, highly birefringent or show twin-core coupling are described, in addition to graded-index microstructured fibres and hollow core fibres, the latter case being where light is guided in an air core. Microstructured polymer optical fibres are an exciting new development, offering opportunities to develop fibres for a wide range of applications in telecommunications and optical sensing.

Intermodal interference in a photonic crystal fibre

Intermodal interference in photonic crystal fibres, single mode over long lengths, is measured over a short length. Akin to conventional fibres, this poses a potential problem for practical device utilisation of photonic crystal fibres. We note that given the existing widespread fabrication capability of this fibre and indications that some commercial use in devices will come to fruition, the need for standardising measurement techniques, analogous to ITU standards for conventional fibre, specific to photonic crystal fibres will be required.

Coupling in a twin-core microstructured polymer optical fiber

Theoretical calculations and experimental results are reported for a microstructured polymer optical fiber twin-core coupler. Beat lengths are calculated using a fully vectorial, Fourier decomposition method, which show that the beat length is extremely sensitive to any core asymmetry. Reasonably good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained.

Fourier decomposition algorithm for leaky modes of fibres with arbitrary geometry

A new algorithm for calculating the confinement loss of leaky modes in arbitrary fibre structures is presented within the scalar wave approximation. The algorithm uses a polar-coordinate Fourier decomposition method with adjustable boundary conditions (ABC-FDM) to model the outward radiating .elds. Leaky modes are calculated for different examples of microstructured fibres with various shaped holes.

Microstructured optical fiber for single-polarization air guidance

An air-core microstructured fiber design that supports a single-polarization, circularly symmetric nondegenerate mode is presented. The fiber design is modeled directly, and the microstructured cladding is analyzed by use of band diagrams to elucidate the mechanism through which polarization nondegeneracy is achieved.

Small-core single-mode microstructured polymer optical fiber with large external diameter

A preform sleeving technique is demonstrated that allows the fabrication of single-mode polymer microstructured fiber with the smallest core and hole dimensions yet reported to our knowledge. For a fixed triangular hole pattern a range of fibers is produced by adjustment to the operating conditions of the draw tower. Numerical modeling is carried out for one of the fibers produced with a 570-microm external diameter, a core diameter of 2.23 microm, an average hole diameter of 0.53 microm, and an average hole spacing of 1.38 microm. This fiber was shown to be endlessly single mode.

Identifying hollow waveguide guidance in air-cored microstructured optical fibres

An analysis of leaky modes in real microstructured optical fibres fabricated specifically for photonic band gap guidance in an air core has been used to identify alternative guiding mechanisms. The supported leaky modes exhibit properties closely matching a simple hollow waveguide, uninfluenced by the surrounding microstructure. The analysis gives a quantitative determination of the wavelength dependent loss of these modes and illustrates a mechanism not photonic band gap in origin by which colouration can be observed in such fibres. These findings are demonstrated experimentally.