Tunable Optical Filter Research Articles

All-fiber all-optical phase controller based on F-P interferometer and Er/Yb co-doped fiber

All-optical devices have attracted much attention for its potential applications in optical communication. In this letter, we propose an all-fiber all-optical phase controller based on an active Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with Er/Yb co-doped fiber (EYDF). Two sections of EYDFs generate a large amount of heat under the pumping excitation of 973 nm, and achieve refractive index change and phase shift of F-P cavity via the thermo-optic effect. Experimental results show that the maximum phase shift of fabricated device is 2.53 π with a slope of 0.0167 π/mW, as well as the phase shift can be converted into the variations of light intensity by the interference characteristic of FPI, enabling optical switching with a rise time of 221 ms. The design of all optical fiber without material coating makes the device has advantages of simple manufacturing, small footprint, especially with good long-term environmental stability. We believe this scheme may provide a new platform for the investigation of all-fiber all-optical modulation, with potential applications in the field of tunable optical filters and Q-switched lasers.

Design and analysis of tunable optical filter based on silicon-on-insulator photonic crystal for visible light communication

In this paper, tunable narrow bandwidth band-stop and band-pass optical filters for visible light communication (VLC) are designed and numerically investigated using a photonic crystal (PC) structure. Designing a tunable filter for visible light communication is crucial for enhancing spectral utilization and maximizing communication efficiency. A rectangular defect with optimized sides length utilized in the center of the PC structure based on the desired filtering characteristics. To obtain a favorable narrow bandwidth filter for visible light wavelengths, this defect is filled with a specific liquid crystal. In addition, an electric field is applied to the proposed structure in order to change the refractive index of the liquid crystal and achieve tunability in the desired range. The functional wavelength ranges of band-pass and band-stop filters are 550–570 nm and 565–585 nm, respectively. Applying an electric field causes a shift in the central wavelengths of the filters. It is shown that a 1.5 nm central wavelength shift for a band-stop filter and a 0.9 nm central wavelength shift for a band-pass filter can be achieved by changing the voltage source up to 1.5 V. In addition, the impact that the variation in the length of the rectangular defects’ sides has on the filtering characteristics of the proposed device is studied.

Investigation of Hybrid Remote Fiber Optic Sensing Solutions for Railway Applications

Fiber optic sensing (FOS) has become a well-known technology in response to the rising demands of the railway transportation field despite the abundance of electronic sensing systems in the market. FOS application boasts an all-in-one solution that is both efficient and versatile. In order to enhance the understanding of the capabilities of FOS, this paper presents a hybrid fiber optic sensing system with an improved sensing ability to facilitate transportation applications for primary or secondary security interfaces. The hybrid sensing scheme incorporates two different sensing systems designed for long-distance applications. The first system employs a coding technique for the transmitted pulses, which provide information on train location through cross-correlation with the reflected pulses from fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors located along the railway. The proposed system can accurately predict the train’s location up to a precision of one cm. The second system examines the wavelength drift of the reflected signal from the FBG sensor affected by the train using a tunable optical filter and photodetector. It determines essential parameters such as the train’s location, speed, and direction by measuring the Bragg wavelength shift and its direction. The effect of the train movement and speed on the applied strain on the FBG sensor is calculated in this work and applied to the simulation to determine the train’s location, speed, and direction. A calibration table facilitates the correlation between the train speed and the shift in the FBG center wavelength, which helps ensure accurate results. The hybrid fiber optic sensing system is designed to facilitate railway transportation applications’ sustainability and security.

La-doped PMN–PT transparent ceramics with ultra-high electro-optic effect and its application in optical devices

Transparent electro-optic (EO) ceramics of La-doped 0.75Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–0.25PbTiO₃ (0.75PMN–0.25PT) were prepared successfully. High transparency of 69% in the near-infrared (IR) wavelength (1550 nm) was achieved at 2 mol% La doping, meanwhile it shows an extremely high quadratic EO coefficient of 45.4×10⁻¹⁶ m²·V⁻², which is indispensable for applications in EO devices. The distribution of a polar nanodomain structure of the samples experiences disorder–order–disorder evolution in a La doping range. It is found that a parallelly-stacked polar nanodomain structure with an easier and faster polarization switching in the 2 mol% La-doped sample suggests that an ordering distribution of polar nanoregions would be critical to inducing large EO effect, transparency, and piezoelectric response. A triple-cavity tunable optical filter (TOF) with a single transmission peak and a tuning voltage below 30 V in a tuning range of 190–197 THz was designed based on our ceramics. The work is believed to bridge the relationship among doping-engineering, EO properties, and polarization behavior, which would guide the further optimization of transparent EO ceramics.

Near Infrared -Visible Photonic Bandgap in One-Dimensional Periodic Photonic Crystal Structure Composed of Tio2/Te Layers

In this present paper, we consider some features of the states of one-dimensional photonic crystals. Form the numerical results performed by transfer matrix method in periodic multilayer structure made of titanium dioxide and tellurium material, it is found that the structure possesses a photonic band gap it was determined that the structure has a photonic band gap in the borderline visible and infrared spectral region. Our predictions were in good agreement with the photonic bandgap tuning. Our simple model can also predict and explain the effect of incidence angle and wavelength and number of layers on the photonic bandgap. We expect such structures to play an important role in micromechanical tunable optical sensors and filters.

Modelling, experimental validation and analysis of a multiple stage PC-PMF Sagnac loop interferometer with spectral shape versatility using an optimized fitting algorithm

Here we experimentally demonstrate a multi-stage Sagnac loop with high spectral shape versatility by employing a serial sequence of different polarization controllers (PC) and Polarization-Maintaining Fibres (PMF), and we develop a general mathematical model to simulate it for N PMF stages inside of its loop using the Jones formalism. Our model is then validated for the cases of 2 and, for the first time, 3 stages by comparing the numerical simulation results with the experimental data, achieving a very small Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of around 10−4. Additionally, we propose a heuristic optimization capable of retrieving physical information from the measured spectra about the polarization states inside the loop, opening up the possibility of the use of such modelling as an interrogation tool for sensing applications. Finally, we perform a brief analysis of the interferometric pattern curves obtained in order to further understand its versatility. This spectral flexibility makes such interferometers interesting candidates for use as tunable optical filters and quasi-distributed sensors.

Design of tunable notch filter based on plasmonic and InGaAsP waveguide

A highly efficient compact tunable optical notch filter is proposed and analyzed using the 2D Finite Element Method (FEM). The proposed structure consists of a slanted stub plasmonic resonator, Metal–Insulator–Metal (MIM) waveguide, and InGaAsP as a third-order non-linear optical material. By altering the pumping state of the InGaAsP, the filtered wavelengths may be easily controlled continuously over 200 nm a range. The suggested notch filter can remove four narrow bands of wavelengths, each around 50 nm wide, and a transmission of about − 17 dB. The proposed filter’s key advantages are its high transmission coefficient and fabrication simplicity with compact size. For future integrated plasmonic devices such as outdoor visible light communications and optical imaging, the proposed filter can be manufactured using an oblique angle shadow evaporation technique.

Design and performance of a repetition rate controllable and wavelength tunable L + U-band actively mode-locked erbium fiber laser

Mode-locked lasers draw great interest in the laser research field due to their diverse applications and easy achievement of ultra-short and high-intensity optical pulse trains. Actively mode-locked (AML) fiber lasers are more flexible compared to passively mode-locked fiber lasers owing to their ability to control repetition rates and pulse intervals electronically. The design and development of wavelength tunable AML fiber lasers operating beyond the C-band have attracted great attention from the research community. In this paper, a repetition rate controllable and wavelength tunable L+U-band AML erbium fiber laser (AML-EFL) based on a single standard 1480 nm pump laser and Mach–Zehnder modulator (MZM) as an intra-cavity intensity modulator is demonstrated using numerical simulation. The AML-EFL is created using a MZM driven by electrical Gaussian pulses and a tunable optical bandpass filter that is used to tune the laser cavity at any wavelength in the 1565–1645 nm range. The repetition rate of the AML-EFL is controlled from 500 kHz to 1 GHz. Trains of pulses with pulse widths of 103 ns and 50 ps and pulse intervals of 2 µs and 1 ns are successfully generated at repetition rates of 500 kHz and 1 GHz, respectively. A pulse energy of 626 nJ is obtained for a 500 kHz repetition rate. Signal-to-noise ratios of 30 and 32 dB are observed for trains of mode-locked pulses with repetition rates of 500 kHz and 1 GHz, respectively. In addition, slope efficiencies of around 66% for an L-band wavelength of 1582.1 nm and 30% for a U-band wavelength of 1633.6 nm are obtained considering the optimized parameters.

Spectroscopic Microtomography in the Short-Wave Infrared Wavelength Range.

Spectroscopic microtomography provides the ability to perform 4D (3D structural and 1D chemical) imaging of a thick microscopic specimen. Here, we demonstrate spectroscopic microtomography in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) wavelength using digital holographic tomography, which captures both the absorption coefficient and refractive index. A broadband laser in tandem with a tunable optical filter allows us to scan the wavelength from 1100 to 1650 nm. Using the developed system, we measure human hair and sea urchin embryo samples. The resolution estimated with gold nanoparticles is 1.51 μm (transverse) and 1.57 μm (axial) for the field of view of 307 × 246 μm2. The developed technique will enable accurate and efficient analyses of microscopic specimens that have a distinctive absorption or refractive index contrast in the SWIR range.

Tunable topological phase transition in the telecommunication wavelength

Recent progress in the Valley Hall insulator has demonstrated a nontrivial topology property due to the distinct valley index in 2D semiconductor systems. In this work, we propose a highly tunable topological phase transition based on valley photonic crystals. The topological phase transition is realized by the inversion symmetry broken due to the refractive index change of structures consisting of optical phase change material (OPCM) with thermal excitation of different sites in a honeycomb lattice structure. Besides, simulations of light propagation at sharp corners and pseudo-spin photon coupling are conducted to quantitatively examine the topological protection. Compared with other electro-optical materials based on reconfigurable topological photonics, a wider bandwidth and greater tunability of both central bandgap frequency and topological phase transition can happen in the proposed scheme. Our platform has great potential in practical applications in lasing, light sensing, and high-contrast tunable optical filters.

Narrow bandpass filter using Octonacci photonic quasicrystal

Abstract In this paper, we propose structures for tunable narrow bandpass optical filters covering the visible range of 400–800 nm. The transmittance spectra of s-polarized (TE mode) light in one-dimensional photonic crystals are obtained by using a theoretical calculation based on the transfer matrix method. Here, photonic crystals and photonic quasicrystals composed of Si and SiO2 are organized according to some generations of the Octonacci sequence. The number of output channels and their central wavelengths are found to be dependent on the generation number and the angle of incidence. The results show an increase in the quality factor as the angle of incidence increased. Therefore, the proposed structures are believed to be suitable for efficient narrow bandpass filters operating in the visible range.

Enhancing the thermo-optic tuning performance of whispering gallery modes in a microcapillary resonator filled with nematic liquid crystal

We investigated both theoretically and experimentally, the thermo-optic tuning of whispering-gallery modes (WGMs) in a microcapillary resonator filled with nematic liquid-crystal (LC). The tuning of WGMs was realized due to the photo-thermal effect of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) on the surface of a fiber half-taper connected to a pump laser source, resulting in temperature-induced refractive index (RI) changes of the LC material. Based on perturbation theory, we analyzed the influence the RI and the wall thickness on the sensitivity of the proposed tuning scheme. Furthermore, we experimentally demonstrated that increasing the thickness of the MNPs coating on the fiber taper surface leads to a stronger photo-thermal effect and to a larger RI change of the LC material within the microcapillary core. Thermo-optic tuning of WGM resonances with a sensitivity of 256.63 ± 5.67 pm/mW to the laser pump power and tuning range of 10.43 nm has been achieved. The developed thermo-optic tuning scheme has many potential applications as tunable devices, optical filters and sensors.

Wideband multiwavelength Brillouin fiber laser with switchable channel spacing.

A multiwavelength Brillouin fiber laser (MBFL) with a switchable channel spacing is demonstrated using a 1.55-µm single-mode AlGaInAs/InP hybrid square-rectangular laser as a seeding source. The scheme employs a highly nonlinear fiber loop with a feedback path to generate a 10-GHz-spacing MBFL. Then, assisted by a tunable optical bandpass filter, MBFLs with spacing from 20GHz to 100GHz at a step of 10GHz are generated in another highly nonlinear fiber loop based on the cavity-enhanced four-wave mixing. More than 60 lasing lines with an optical signal-to-noise ratio over 10dB are obtained successfully in all the switchable spacings. The total output power and the channel spacing of the MBFLs are proved to be stable.

Tunable optical filter with high performance based on 2D photonic crystal

Tunable optical filter with high performance based on 2D photonic crystal

Multi-wavelength random fiber laser with a spectral-flexible characteristic

In past decades, multi-wavelength lasers have attracted much attention due to their wide applications in many fields. In this paper, we demonstrate a multi-wavelength random fiber laser with customizable spectra enabled by an acousto–optic tunable filter. The operating wavelength range can be tuned from 1114.5 to 1132.5 nm with a maximal output power of 5.55 W, and spectral channel tuning can also be realized with a maximal number of five. The effect of gain competition and the interaction between Raman gain and insertion loss are also analyzed. Furthermore, the output spectra can be ordered by radiating appropriate radio frequency signals to the acousto–optic tunable filter. This work may provide a reference for agile shape spectrum generation and promote multi-wavelength random fiber laser practicability in sensing, telecommunications, and precise spectroscopy.

Tunable optical filter with integrated photonic reservoir computing

Tunable optical filter with integrated photonic reservoir computing

Stable and Tunable PT-Symmetric Single-Longitudinal-Mode Fiber Laser Using a Nonreciprocal Sagnac Loop

A stable and tunable parity-time (PT) symmetric single-longitudinal-mode fiber laser using a nonreciprocal Sagnac loop is proposed, which is experimentally and numerically demonstrated. The nonreciprocal Sagnac loop only including a 3-dB optical coupler (OC) and a polarization controller (PC) is incorporated into a fiber ring cavity, in which nonreciprocal light transmission between the frequency-degenerate clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW) resonator modes is induced to suppress multiple-longitudinal-mode oscillation of the laser. The two light paths along the CW and CCW directions in the Sagnac loop are respectively defined as the gain and loss loop of the PT-symmetric laser, due to a controllable birefringence induced by the PC. By controlling the polarization states of the two light waves, the PT symmetry is broken when the gain coefficient is larger than the coupling coefficient, single-mode lasing is thus achieved. Experimental results show that the optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) of the single-mode lasing at 1550 nm is 43.0 dB, proving the great superiority of PT symmetry for lasing mode selection. By tuning an optical tunable band-pass filter incorporated into the fiber cavity, the wavelength of output single-mode lasing varies from 1530 to 1560 nm, and their 3-dB Lorentzian linewidth varies within a range from 529 to 687 Hz. During a 30-min observation period, the variations of wavelength drift and OSNR of the single-mode lasing are less than 6 pm and 2.42 dB, respectively. The advantages of the proposed scheme are obvious, which include simple structure, low cost, simple operation, and good stability.

Tunable Dual- and Multi-Channel Filter Based on Cantor Photonic Crystals Embedded With Graphene

We theoretically investigate the tunable dual- and multi-channel filter in one-dimensional aperiodic photonic crystals (PCs) embedded with graphene. The dielectrics slabs arrayed alternately submit to the Cantor sequence rule and graphene sheets are local at the interfaces of dielectrics layers. Cantor PCs are fractal structures and support a series of discrete resonant channels in transmission spectra, viz. fractal states. Consequently, dual- and multi-filtering channels could be achieved in the compound systems. The central wavelength of each channel and its value of transmission could be modulating by the chemical potential of grapheme and the incident angle as well. It shows that the dual-channel amplitude of transmission can be varied by over 100% and the multiple channels could be switched on and off by the chemical potential of graphene. This study will be very helpful in designing tunable optical filters.

Hyperspectral Microscopy Technology to Detect Syrups Adulteration of Endemic Guindo Santo and Quillay Honey Using Machine-Learning Tools.

Honey adulteration is a common practice that affects food quality and sale prices, and certifying the origin of the honey using non-destructive methods is critical. Guindo Santo and Quillay are fundamental for the honey production of Biobío and the Ñuble region in Chile. Furthermore, Guindo Santo only exists in this area of the world. Therefore, certifying honey of this species is crucial for beekeeper communities-mostly natives-to give them advantages and competitiveness in the global market. To solve this necessity, we present a system for detecting adulterated endemic honey that combines different artificial intelligence networks with a confocal optical microscope and a tunable optical filter for hyperspectral data acquisition. Honey samples artificially adulterated with syrups at concentrations undetectable to the naked eye were used for validating different artificial intelligence models. Comparing Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), Support vector machine (SVM), and Neural Network (NN), we reach the best average accuracy value with SVM of 93% for all classes in both kinds of honey. We hope these results will be the starting point of a method for honey certification in Chile in an automated way and with high precision.

Silicon-on-Insulator Microwave Photonic Filter With Widely Tunable and Reconfigurable Flat-Top Bandpass Functionality

We report of a silicon photonics (SiP) flat-top bandpass microwave photonic (MWP) filter with large out-of-band power rejection (OBPR) of up to more than 40 dB and exhibiting central frequency tunability over a range as large as 70 GHz, while still guaranteeing a minimum full-span OBPR larger than 25 dB. Furthermore, the RF bandpass transfer function can be widely configured without sacrificing the filter performance. In the present realization, a continuous bandwidth tuning from 5 to 10 GHz (corresponding to a 100% of bandwidth variation) is demonstrated. The operation is based on optical-to-RF mapping the response of a tunable and bandwidth reconfigurable photonic integrated optical filter, realized with a high-order distributed feedback resonator (DFBR) waveguide Bragg grating structure. A high level of functional integration is provided in a compact footprint of less than 2 mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> by embedding within the circuit a SiP phase modulator generating the modulation sideband scanning the DFBR filter, and a tunable optical splitter optimizing the MWP filter performance. Possibility of further extending system integration for monolithic on-chip operation is also investigated.