Wavelength-switchable vortex beams based on a polarization-dependent microknot resonator Download: 707次
1. INTRODUCTION
Optical vortex beams (OVBs) are spatially structured beams with a helical phase front. Such beams are characterized by a topological charge (order), also called orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams. Vortex beams have a phase singularity at the center with a doughnut-shaped spatial intensity. Due to their polarization and amplitude symmetry, OVBs attract a lot of attention and have been investigated in many areas, such as high-resolution measurement [1], particle trapping [2], material processing [3], remote sensing [4], microscopy [5], and quantum information technology [6]. OAM recently has been used in applications in multidimensional multiplexing technologies in optical communications, such as wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), mode-division multiplexing (MDM) [7], and all-optical processes [8]. A traditional method is used to convert a Gaussian beam to a vortex beam using phase elements, such as a
Multiwavelength switchable fiber lasers have the advantages of wavelength flexibility and high coherence. They have been considered excellent sources for optical WDM and sensing systems. Many methods have been proposed to obtain multiwavelength fiber lasers, such as using a Lyot–Sagnac filter [21], a Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) [22], and a superimposed chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) [23]. Zhan
However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been few reports about a multiwavelength switchable fiber laser with vortex beams. In our prior work, a single-mode fiber (SMF) and few-mode fiber (FMF) coupler was first proposed to overcome the constraint of broadband mode conversion [26,27], which is a promising method to produce efficient femtosecond OVBs. By using a similar fiber mode coupler, cylindrical vector beams with a switchable dual-wavelength pulsed laser were also presented [28]. Multiwavelength vortex beams with identical OAM properties are desirable for multiplexing, exchanging, and routing to further improve the capacity of the optical fiber transmission.
In this paper, we demonstrate a method to experimentally generate multiwavelength switchable and continuously tunable OVBs in an all-fiber laser. A polarization-dependent microknot resonator (MKR), acting for comb filtering and polarization switching, is inserted in the cavity to adjust the wavelength region of net gain. Multiwavelength switchable OVBs with topological charges of
2. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
The schematic setup to generate multiple-wavelength OVBs in an all-fiber configuration is shown in Fig.
Fig. 1. Experimental setup used to excite OVB pulse. WDM, wavelength division multiplexing coupler; EDF, erbium-doped fiber; PC, polarization controller; OSA, optical spectrum analyzer; CCD, charge-coupled infrared camera; PMF, polarization-maintaining fiber.
2.3 A. MKR Characteristics
The fiber is tapered by using a flame brushing method to a microfiber of the diameter (approximately 3 μm). Similar to wrapping a rope, the microfiber is manually tied into a knot and then slowly tightened [29]. The diameter of the loop could be further decreased by pulling the fiber ends symmetrically using the stages. The ring diameter of the knot used in the experiment is approximately 660 μm. The microscopy image of the fabricated MKR and the overlapping area are shown in Figs.
As shown in Fig.
Fig. 3. Spectral response of MKR: (a) Transmission spectrum with different incident states of polarization (SOP); (b) transmission spectra from 1553 nm to 1557 nm; and (c) polarization-dependent loss of the MKR.
The typical transmission spectra of the MKR with periodic wavelength response covering the whole C-band are shown in Fig.
2.4 B. Generating OAM Based on Fused SMF–FMF Couplers
To obtain OVBs, a fused SMF–FMF fiber coupler, which acts as a mode converter, has been investigated [26]. When propagation constant
The commercial simulation software (Rsoft) is used to solve the modes propagating in the SMF–FMF couplers. The simulation results are shown in Fig.
Fig. 4. Simulation results: (a) Coupling efficiency as a function of the wavelengths; and (b) power exchange in the coupling region when mode in SMF converts to mode in FMF.
Before the fusing process of the SMF–FMF fiber coupler, SMF (core/cladding diameter = 8/125 μm) is pre-tapered to the cladding diameter of around 85 μm, while the core/cladding diameter of FMF fiber is 20/125 μm. Then the pre-tapered SMF and FMF are twisted, stretched, and fused together using an oxyhydrogen flame so that their fiber core diameters are near to the phase-matching condition. Optimum taper diameters are determined after experimental fine tuning of pre-tapered SMF diameters [26]. The powers from the output SMF port and FMF port are carefully monitored. The coupling ratio (CR) is expressed by the ratio between the out power in FMF (
Fiber
Fig. 5. Output near-field intensity distribution from a mode selective coupler by inputting a femtosecond pulse. (a), (e) Intensity profiles of the and modes; (b), (f) donut-shaped OAM mode patterns when pressing the output FMF; (c) and (d), and (g) and (h) corresponding clockwise and anticlockwise spiral interferograms of and , respectively.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The mechanism of wavelength-switchable fiber laser is easy to explain. The MKR comb filter exhibits a polarization-dependent transmission loss for different wavelengths, which leads to unequal cavity losses at the lasing wavelength channels. Due to the existence of mode competition in erbium-doped fiber, a small change of cavity loss can lead to the different lasing wavelengths. By adjusting the state of polarization of the PCs to change the transmission loss of the MKR cavity, it leads to unequal cavity losses at the lasing wavelength channels. The wavelength-switching operation can be obtained for different wavelengths. To extend the tuning range, a broadband HiBi-SLM filter is used. It is known that its reflective spectrum is a periodic sinusoidal curve, and the reflective bandwidth is inversely proportional to the PMF length. In fact, only the gain at the wavelengths near the center of the reflective profile of the HiBi–SLM filter can offset the cavity loss to generate the lasing. The PMF length is about 15 cm and its reflective bandwidth is about 30 nm. Moreover, the effective gain region can be tuned along with the reflective profile [33], which is first tuned by adjusting the PC1 and PC2 to the desired lasing band. Then the SOP of the MKR is adjusted to switch the lasing wavelengths continuously by using PC3.
Multiwavelength switchable lasing based on the MKR is demonstrated experimentally, as shown in Fig.
Fig. 6. Output spectra of successively tunable (a) single-, (b) dual-, (c) triple-, and (d) quadruple-wavelength lasing operations.
The proposed multiwavelength switchable fiber laser exhibits some advantages. First, multiwavelength channels can be flexibly tuned with different number combinations of lasing channels, which cover versatile single-, dual-, triple-, and quadruple-wavelength lasing. Second, it is a compact and simple configuration of a polarization-dependent MKR and a HiBi-SLM filter, which offers comb filtering and polarization switching.
We also investigate the generation stability of multiwavelength lasing channels. The output triple-wavelength spectra are repeatedly scanned every minute, as shown in Fig.
Fig. 7. Stability of triple-wavelength output spectrum. (a) Repeat scans of triple-wavelength output spectrum every minute. (b) Power fluctuation (black) and central wavelength (blue) of each channel in the triple-wavelength output every minute.
We further exploit the polarization characteristics of multiwavelength switchable outputs through a fused SMF–FMF coupler inserted in the cavity. The mode patterns from the FMF output of the broadband mode coupler are observed when the fiber laser is running at the state of switchable wavelengths. The fused SMF–FMF coupler has been verified effectively when acting as a mode selective converter. A polarizer is added before the CCD camera; by rotating the polarization direction, linearly polarized vortex beams are observed.
We show in Fig.
Fig. 8. Near-field distribution of intensities, OAM patterns, spiral interferograms, and the out spectra of wavelength-switchable laser. Four columns present (a)–(e) single-, (f)–(j) dual-, (k)–(o) triple-, and (p)–(t) quadruple-wavelength lasing operations. First row, intensity profiles; second row, donut-shaped mode patterns of vortex beams; third and fourth rows, corresponding clockwise and anticlockwise spiral interferograms; and fifth row, the output spectra.
The clockwise and counterclockwise spiral interference patterns indicate the vortex beams with
We successfully obtain multiwavelength vortex beams with identical OAM properties, which are desirable for multiplexing, exchanging, and routing to further improve the capacity of optical fiber transmission. The multiwavelength switchable lasing shows a potential application in mode-division multiplexing, OAM modes switching, and routing.
4. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we experimentally demonstrate a method to generate multiple-wavelength switchable OVBs in an all-fiber laser based on a polarization-dependent MKR. The tuning wavelengths range from 1546 nm to 1562 nm, and single-, dual-, triple-, and quadruple-wavelength channels can be switched. The wavelength interval is 0.813 nm, which is in agreement with the FSR of the MKR. Variable wavelength intervals can be acquired by just changing the diameter of the MKR. We use a fused SMF–FMF mode coupler to successfully obtain broadband mode conversion and achieve multiwavelength switchable OVBs. It also verifies that each wavelength channel preserves identical OAM properties through their clear spiral interferograms. The proposed wavelength-switchable and widely tunable OAM fiber laser may be useful in various fields, such as mode-division multiplexing, optical fiber communication, and material processing.
5 Acknowledgment
Acknowledgment. X. Zeng acknowledges the support of the Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar) at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning and Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality. F. Pang was supported by the Shuguang Program of Shanghai Education Development Foundation and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission.
Article Outline
Jinqiu Zheng, Ao Yang, Teng Wang, Xianglong Zeng, Ning Cao, Mei Liu, Fufei Pang, Tingyun Wang. Wavelength-switchable vortex beams based on a polarization-dependent microknot resonator[J]. Photonics Research, 2018, 6(5): 05000396.