Tunable optical fiber devices based on broadband long-period gratings and pumped microfluidics

Abstract

This letter describes classes of tunable microfluidic fiber (μFF) devices that use specially designed long-period gratings in which the phase matching condition is satisfied over a wide spectral range. Dynamic tuning is achieved by electrowetting-based pumping of microfluidic plugs back and forth over the gratings. As specific examples, we demonstrate dynamically tunable broadband attenuators and filters with adjustable profiles by using fluids with different refractive indices. These devices have attractive features that include in-fiber design and polarization-independent behavior together with low-power, nonmechanical, fully reversible, and latchable tuning.