LPFG implementation using electrical-arc and micro-deformations

Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) is a data transmitting technology, which allows the sending of a several optical signals from different sources over the same optical fiber. Today, WDM technologies allow maximizing the use of both the existing and the new fiber optic infrastructures. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the WDM standards, optical multiplexers and demultiplexers must handle closely wavelengths for the optical data channels. The use of WDM has reduced the fabrication cost and eased the process of realization. Optical fiber components have very low insertion losses to insert or to extract a specific optical data channel from a WDM network. Various optical fiber components designs and implementations are possible. In this paper we expose the use of electrical arc and micro deformations for writing the long period fiber gratings (LPFG) on a single mode fiber. We take a closer look at the design of this component which has several advantages compared to similar components. In fact, the realized LPFG has stronger wavelength stability when opposed to temperature variations and a better resistance against mechanical strength. These advantages makes the LPFG so important in the industry.