Fabrication of europium-doped silica optical fiber with high Verdet constant.

Abstract

A europium-doped (Eu-doped) silica optical fiber is fabricated using modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) technology. Europium fluoride (EuF3) material is introduced into the fiber core with a high temperature vaporizing technique. Its concentration is approximately 0.11 at %. The outer and core diameters of doped fiber are approximately 122 and 9 μm, respectively. Refractive index difference (RID) between core and cladding is approximately 2%. A magneto-optical effect measurement system, which is based on the Stokes polarization parameters method, is set up to analyze its magneto-optical properties. The Verdet constant of the Eu-doped optical fiber is -4.563 rad T-1m-1, which is approximately double than that of single mode fiber (SMF) at 660 nm.