Abstract
Since the first demonstration by Hill and coworkers [1], fiber Bragg gratings have become ubiquitous in optical communication and optical sensing systems. Recently, our group demonstrated [2] an extension of grating formation to 3-D geometries by writing voxel array (Λ= 0.5 μm) of refractive index changes in bulk glasses. This type-II photosensitivity process shapes each voxel with only a single pulse, thereby defining a fast (0.5 mm/s) and facile means for single-step writing of guiding and Bragg responses. Using a 1-kHz ultrashort-pulse laser with weak focusing (0.25 NA aspheric lens), ~300-fs pulse-width and 0.6-μJ energy, 50-mn long Bragg grating waveguides (BGWs) were previously demonstrated that yielded weak 11-dB transmission and 36% reflection peaks at 1551.2-mn Bragg wavelength. This paper presents improved grating strength, lower propagation loss, high grating thennal stability and examples of 2-D sensing applications that collectively suggest BGWs will open a new realm of multi-functional 3-D optical circuits of broad interest in optical networks and sensing applications.
© 2007 IEEE
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