An efficient all-fiber variable optical attenuator via acoustooptic mode coupling

Author

Qun Li ; Au, A.A. ; Chien-Hung Lin ; Lyons, E.R. ; Lee, H.P.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., California Univ., Irvine, CA, USA

Volume

14

Issue

11

fYear

2002

Firstpage

1563

Lastpage

1565

Abstract

A novel broad-band variable optical attenuator is realized using acoustooptic mode coupling on a cladding etched single-mode fiber. Broad-band coupling bandwidth with low attenuation ripples is achieved by matching both the group index and dispersion parameter between the core and the LP/sub 11//sup cl/ cladding modes. A single-section device exhibits a 10-dB dynamic range with attenuation ripples of <0.5 dB over a spectral range of >100 nm, a response time of 20 μs, an insertion loss of 0.3 dB, and a maximum power consumption of only 3.4 mW. Attenuation of 22 dB is obtained for a cascaded two-section device.

Keywords

acousto-optical devices; optical communication equipment; optical fibre communication; optical fibre couplers; optical fibre losses; wavelength division multiplexing; 0.3 dB; 20 mus; 3.4 mW; acoustooptic mode coupling; all-fiber variable optical attenuator; broad-band coupling bandwidth; broad-band variable optical attenuator; cascaded two-section device; cladding etched single-mode fiber; cladding modes; core modes; dispersion parameter; dynamic range; group index; insertion loss; low attenuation ripples; maximum power consumption; single-section device; Attenuation; Bandwidth; Delay; Dynamic range; Energy consumption; Etching; Insertion loss; Optical attenuators; Optical coupling; Optical fiber devices;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2002.803895

Filename

1042003