Intrinsically Photosensitive Fiber for Grating Fabrication
Rapid formation of high reflectivity FBGs without hydrogenation
PS1250/1500 has dual wavelength capability
PS980 for EDFA pump-lockers
Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) have quickly established themselves as one of the key enabling technologies behind the ‘DWDM Revolution’. EDFA gain-equalising filters, WDMs and add-drop multiplexers, created as periodic variations in the refractive index of the core of the fiber itself, have all played their part in delivering almost unlimited bandwidth – and in accelerating the transition of the entire telecommunications industry from a digital electronic to a digital photonic world.
FBGs can also be used in the fabrication of optical strain and temperature sensors, with quasi-distributed measurements possible using gratings written sequentially into a continuous length of fiber.
In the past, fibers have been 'photosensitised' either by increasing their germania content or by hydrogenation - neither technique is ideal. The small cores of high-germania fibers make them incompatible with standard communications fibers and the process of hydrogenation not only adds complexity and cost but also tends to produce high loss gratings after irradiation. Fibercore Limited's PS1250/1500 and PS980 are different. Their boron co-doped cores are intrinsically photosensitive - allowing gratings to be written without hydrogenation. PS980 is specifically designed to enable wavelength-stabilising gratings to be written directly into the pigtail of an EDFA pump laser.
Specifications
PS1250/1500
PS980
Design Wavelength1
1310 nm
1550 nm
980 nm
Cut-off Wavelength
1100 nm – 1260 nm
850 nm – 950 nm
Numerical Aperture
0.12 – 0.14
Mode Field Diameter2
8.1 µm
9.6 µm
6 µm
Polarisation Mode
Dispersion
<0.05 ps/m (typical)
Outside Diameter
(Fiber)
125 µm ± 1 µm
Outside Diameter
(Coating)
245 µm ± 5%
Proof Test
1.0% (100 kpsi) 2.0% (200 kpsi)
to special order
1. The Design Wavelength is the wavelength (or wavelengths) at which the fiber is typically used. In practice, the fiber will transmit the TEM00 mode at wavelengths of up to approximately 200 nm longer than the cut-off wavelength.
2. The Mode Field Diameter is a nominal, calculated value, estimated at the operating wavelength(s) using typical value of numerical aperture and cut-off wavelength.
Typical Performance
Using a 248 nm excimer laser, pulsed at 20 Hz, high reflectivity gratings can be written in under two minutes
Evolution of a 3 mm long grating written using 2000, 248 nm pulses delivered at 20 Hz
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Ordering Information: Photosensitive Fiber
To order PS980 or PS1250/1500, simply specify the product code and length you need for your application.
Fibercore Limited, Fibercore House, University Parkway, Chilworth Science Park, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 7QQ, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)23 8076 9893 | Fax: +44 (0)23 8076 9895 | Email: info@fibercore.com
