Chirped Phase Mask Interferometer for Fiber Bragg Grating Array Inscription

Abstract

We present a phase mask inscription technique with two beam interferometry using a lateral nonhomogeneous beam splitter to create gratings with nonhomogeneous periods, the so-called chirped fiber Bragg gratings. Inscription experiments with deep ultraviolet excimer and femtosecond laser sources reveal how this inscription method depends on the coherence properties of the inscription laser. Nonhomogeneous beam splitters are shown to provide a method to generate chirped fiber Bragg gratings with great wavelength versatility, even with the ultraviolet femtosecond laser.