Optical Waveguide Theory

Curious wave phenomena that occur in optical fibres due to the interplay of instability and nonlinear effects are reviewed.

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Instabilities, breathers and rogue waves in optics

Graphene plasmons were predicted to possess ultra-strong field confinement and very low damping at the same time, enabling new classes of devices for deep subwavelength metamaterials, single-photon nonlinearities, extraordinarily strong light-matter interactions and nano-optoelectronic switches. While all of these great prospects require low damping, thus far strong plasmon damping was observed, with both impurity scattering and many-body effects in graphene proposed as possible explanations. With the advent of van der Waals heterostructures, new methods have been developed to integrate graphene with other atomically flat materials. In this letter we exploit near-field microscopy to image propagating plasmons in high quality graphene encapsulated between two films of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). We determine dispersion and particularly plasmon damping in real space. We find unprecedented low plasmon damping combined with strong field confinement, and identify the main damping channels as intrinsic thermal phonons in the graphene and dielectric losses in the h-BN. The observation and in-depth understanding of low plasmon damping is the key for the development of graphene nano-photonic and nano-optoelectronic devices.

Highly confined low-loss plasmons in graphene-boron nitride heterostructures

Space-division multiplexing (SDM) uses multiplicity of space channels to increase capacity for optical communication. It is applicable for optical communication in both free space and guided waves. This paper focuses on SDM for fiber-optic communication using few-mode fibers or multimode fibers, in particular on the critical challenge of mode crosstalk. Multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) equalization methods developed for wireless communication can be applied as an electronic method to equalize mode crosstalk. Optical approaches, including differential modal group delay management, strong mode coupling, and multicore fibers, are necessary to bring the computational complexity for MIMO mode crosstalk equalization to practical levels. Progress in passive devices, such as (de)multiplexers, and active devices, such as amplifiers and switches, which are considered straightforward challenges in comparison with mode crosstalk, are reviewed. Finally, we present the prospects for SDM in optical transmission and networking.

Space-division multiplexing: the next frontier in optical communication

Optical fiber gratings have developed into a mature technology with a wide range of applications in various areas, including physical sensing for temperature, strain, acoustic waves and pressure. All of these applications rely on the perturbation of the period or refractive index of a grating inscribed in the fiber core as a transducing mechanism between a quantity to be measured and the optical spectral response of the fiber grating. This paper presents a relatively recent variant of the fiber grating concept, whereby a small tilt of the grating fringes causes coupling of the optical power from the core mode into a multitude of cladding modes, each with its own wavevector and mode field shape. The main consequence of doing so is that the differential response of the modes can then be used to multiply the sensing modalities available for a single fiber grating and also to increase the sensor resolution by taking advantage of the large amount of data available. In particular, the temperature cross-sensitivity and power source fluctuation noise inherent in all fiber grating designs can be completely eliminated by referencing all the spectral measurements to the wavelength and power level of the core mode back-reflection. The mode resonances have a quality factor of 105, and they can be observed in reflection or transmission. A thorough review of experimental and theoretical results will show that tilted fiber Bragg gratings can be used for high resolution refractometry, surface plasmon resonance applications, and multiparameter physical sensing (strain, vibration, curvature, and temperature).

Tilted fiber Bragg grating sensors

Recently, emphasis has been laid on Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) in high speed lightwave transmission systems, and it looms as a potentially dominant source of pulse distortion in ultrahigh-bit systems. The measurement of PMD is realized by two novel methods--modified OTDR methods and modified S-38 methods. Their results are consistent with these from wavelength scanning method.

Novel measurement method of polarization mode dispersion

To learn the surrounding conditions in the fiber link and its effect on PMD, and to provide the first-hand design basis, we have carried out the data observation of PMD in a fiber link for a long time. We have tested the first-order and second-order PMD. The fiber tested is the G652 fiber produced by Corning Co. of USA, and the testing distance is 1000km; n segments of same fibers are linked into one, and n equals to 40, that is to say, the length of every segment is 25km; for the requirement of dispersion compensation in the high-speed and long distance fiber optical communication system, one fiber grating dispersion compensator is added in the place of every 200km, and there are five compensators; one EDFA is added in the place of every 100km, and there are eleven EDFA. The result suggests that, with the increase of length of fiber link, the distribution of PMD intends to be stable, that is, with the number n increasing, the relative error of PMD becomes less.
 The testing methods are the Jones matrix eigenanalysis technique and interference technique. HP8509B fiber polarization analyzer of Agilent in USA is used for measuring instrument of the Jones matrix eigenanalysis technique; FPMD-5600 Femtosecond PMD Analyzer of EXFO in Canada is used for measuring instrument of interference technique. The difference between these two testing methods is analyzed. 
With the Jones matrix eigenanalysis technique, fibers of 1000km are inspected through 48 hours, and the result suggests that, at nine o'clock in the morning, PMD reaches the maximum, at nine o'clock in the evening, it reaches the minimum, during other time, its change is very little. So it can be concluded that, PMD in the long distance fiber link is affected by temperature of the lab. Stress testing is carried in the ultra-short fiber (less than one meter). PMD has no obvious change in the range of stress which can be endured by the fiber.

PMD test method in the fiber link with optical amplifier

A novel algorithm for the synthesis of fiber gratings is presented. For the first time we propose an effective optimal approach to construct a coupling coefficient function by employing 4th-order Runge-Kutta (R-K) analysis method for calculating the reflection spectra of fiber gratings. The numerical results show that with this proposed method, some required optical filters have been yielded with better features compared with other methods such as Gel‘Fand-Levitan-Marchenko (GLM) algorithm. In addition, the performance of different interpolation functions particularly utilized in our algorithm, including linear-type, spline-type, and Hermit-type, are discussed in detail.

Novel algorithm for synthesis of fiber gratings

A novel supercell overlapping method is developed to analyze the PCFs. The dielectric constant of the PCF is considered as the sum of two different periodic dielectric structures which can be expanded in cosine functions.

A powerful numerical method for different PCFs

A temperature-compensated material of fiber Bragg grating (FBG), which has negative thermal -expansion coefficient has been presented. The temperature coefficient of FBGs’ center wavelength is less than 0.0005 nm/°C after three-layer-structure temperature-compensated package under tension. For the first time, PMD of FBG with and without temperature compensation has been detailedly studied and measured from –20 to 60°C. The measured result shows that the PMD changes a little at varying temperature, which means that the package did not affect the PMD characteristic of FBG.

Shuisheng Jian

Papers

Novel measurement method of polarization mode dispersion

PMD test method in the fiber link with optical amplifier

Novel algorithm for synthesis of fiber gratings

A powerful numerical method for different PCFs

Package for fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) and a comparative study on their polarization mode dispersion (PMD) at varying temperature