Robert Scott Windeler

Adiabatic coupling in tapered air-silica microstructured optical fiber

We study adiabatic mode propagation in tapered air-silica microstructured optical fibers and demonstrate efficient coupling into a robust high-delta microstructured fiber. In the waist region of the taper, the core mode is tightly confined by the air holes and exhibits properties similar to a high-delta waveguide such as enhanced peak intensity and widely flattened anomalous dispersion. We exploit these properties to generate tunable self-frequency shifting Raman solitons over the communications window from 1.3 /spl mu/m to 1.65 /spl mu/m, with over 60% conversion efficiency These fiber devices are practical for several reasons: they can be fusion spliced to standard single-mode fibers with relatively low loss, they are mechanically strong, due to the supporting cladding, and because the mode is isolated from the surrounding air interface, they can potentially be recoated allowing for packaging.

Silica-air microstructured fibers: properties and applications

We present results of three silica-air fiber types possessing unique characteristics, which are not possible with conventional MCVD fibers. We summarize the optical and mechanical properties of these fibers and review potential applications.

Chromatic dispersion measurements in a photonic bandgap fiber

Studying of waveguide dispersion gives an insight into the physical mechanism of propagation in photonic badgap (PBG) fibers and is crucial for any future transmission applications. So far the dispersion has only been modeled theoretically. We present the first experimental measurement of chromatic dispersion across multiple bandgaps of a PBG-fiber by spectral interferometry.

Novel properties of air-silica microstructure optical fibers

Microstructure air-silica optical fibers with anomalous group-velocity dispersion at visible wavelengths are demonstrated. The linear and nonlinear optical properties of these structures are examined and their potential applications discussed.