Spectral interferometry-based dispersion characterization of microstructured and specialty optical fibers using a supercontinuum source

Abstract

Two spectral interferometric techniques employing a supercontinuum source are used for dispersion characterization of birefringent microstructured and specialty optical fibers over a broad spectral range (e.g. 500-1600 nm). First, a technique employing an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer is used for measuring the chromatic dispersion and zero-dispersion wavelength of one polarization mode supported by a microstructured optical fiber. Second, a technique employing a tandem configuration of a Michelson interferometer and a fiber under test is used for measuring the group modal birefringence dispersion of the fiber and the chromatic-dispersion difference as a function of wavelength. From these measurements, the chromatic dispersion and the zero-dispersion wavelength of the other polarization mode supported by the microstructured optical fiber are retrieved. We revealed from four measurements the dependence of the zero-dispersion wavelength on the geometry of air-silica microstructured optical fiber. We also measured by the second technique the zero-chromatic-dispersion difference wavelength for elliptical-core optical fibers. We revealed from four measurements that the dispersion parameter can be tuned by the fiber geometry.