Broadband single-mode operation of standard optical fibers by using a sub-wavelength optical wire filter

Jung, Yongmin, Brambilla, Gilberto and Richardson, David J. (2008) Broadband single-mode operation of standard optical fibers by using a sub-wavelength optical wire filter. Optics Express, 16 (19), 14661-14667. (doi:10.1364/OE.16.014661).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We report the use of a sub-wavelength optical wire (SOW) with a specifically designed transition region as an efficient tool to filter higher order modes in multimode waveguides. Higher-order modes are effectively suppressed by controlling the transition taper profile and the diameter of the sub-wavelength optical wire. As a practical example, single-mode operation of a standard telecom optical fiber over a broad spectral window (400~1700 nm) was demonstrated with a 1µm SOW. The ability to obtain robust and stable single-mode operation over a very broad range of wavelengths offers new possibilities for mode control within fiber devices and is relevant to a range of application sectors including high performance fiber lasers, sensors, photolithography, and optical coherence tomography systems.

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