Investigations of internal structure changes along an optical fiber during the manufacture of biconical taper have been described. Basing on the constant volume theory, classification of biconical structures manufactured on a special set-up is presented and discussed. The interferometric tomography method has been used for determination of 3D geometry and refractive index distribution in manufactured optical fiber tapers. The experiments provide detailed information on external (diameter of cladding) as well as internal (core diameter and refractive index profile) changes along the taper region. The results have been discussed in relation to the parameters of the manufacturing process.
The paper investigates the effect of thermo-optic switching resulting from the hybrid combination of a tapered optical fiber (TOF) with alkanes doped with nanoparticles of zinc sulfide doped with manganese (ZnS:Mn NP). Presented measurements focused on controlling losses in an optical fiber by modification of a TOF cladding by the alkanes used, characterized by phase change. Temperature changes cause power transmission changes creating a switcher or a sensor working in an ON-OFF mode. Phase change temperatures and changes in the refractive index of the alkane used directly affected power switching. Alkanes were doped with ZnS:Mn NPs to change the hysteresis observed between ON-OFF modes in pure alkanes. The addition of nanoparticles (NPs) reduces the difference between phase changes due to improved thermal conductivity and introduces extra nucleating agents. Results are presented in the wide optical range of 550–1200 nm. In this investigation, hexadecane and heptadecane were a new cladding for TOF. The higher alkanes were doped with ZnS: Mn NPs in an alkane volume of 1 wt.% and 5 wt.%. The thermo-optic effect can be applied to manufacture a thermo-optic switcher or a temperature threshold sensor.
The paper presents the results of design, manufacturing, and characterization of a hybrid broad band in-line fiber-optic device. It uses nematic liquid crystal as cladding with electro-steering properties in a biconical optical fiber taper structure. Liquid crystal mixtures denoted as 6CHBT and E7 are designed for electric as well as temperature control of electromagnetic wave propagation in a broad wavelength range. The applied taper with 10±0.5 μm diameters has losses lower than 0.5 dB in whole investigated spectrum range. Three kinds of initial liquid crystal molecules’ orientations (parallel, orthogonal, and twist) in relation to the light beam propagating in a taper were applied. The performance of a tuned cladding was studied at an electric field of the range of 0–190 V and the temperature range from 20°C up to 42°C and 59°C for 6CHBT and E7, respectively. The induced reorientation of liquid crystal molecules was measured at a broad wavelength range (550-1550 nm).
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