双Sagnac环滤波器的传输特性分析和实验研究 下载: 842次
An optical fiber Sagnac loop has been widely used to manufacture optical fiber sensors and optical fiber Sagnac loop filters because of its excellent characteristics such as simple structure, low insertion loss, and low cost. However, the single Sagnac comb filter cannot meet the requirements of some practical laser systems due to its fixed channel spacing. Recently, some research groups have proposed multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber lasers based on a double Sagnac loop filter, however the transmission characteristics of this filter have not been investigated, which restricts its application in the fields of multi-wavelength fiber lasers and optical fiber sensing. Therefore, in this study, the transmission characteristics of a double Sagnac loop filter constructed by two segments of polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF) in parallel are analyzed and discussed. The measurement results of transmission characteristics are consistent with those obtained by theoretical analysis. Moreover, a channel-spacing tunable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser utilizing a double Sagnac loop filter with the assistance of four wave mixing (FWM) effect is experimentally demonstrated. Therefore, it is significantly important to analyze and experimentally investigate the transmission characteristics of a double Sagnac loop filter, which is helpful for the design of future multi-wavelength fiber lasers.
In this study, the transmission function of a double Sagnac loop filter is first calculated in detail by the transmission matrix theory, and the incident light is assumed to be in an arbitrary polarization state. Then, the simulated transmission spectra are carried out by the Matlab software. The theoretical analysis and simulation results indicate that the double Sagnac loop filter has the polarization-independent characteristic and the tunable channel spacing. To demonstrate the transmission characteristics of the double Sagnac loop filter, the experimental apparatus for measuring the transmission spectra of the filter is designed. Note that we insert a polarization controller (PC) between the erbium-doped fiber amplifier and the double Sagnac loop filter to control the polarization state of the light entering into the filter. Finally, in order to verify the tunable channel spacing of the double Sagnac loop filter in the laser system, we implement the double Sagnac loop filter in the erbium-doped fiber laser while using a highly nonlinear fiber to provide the FWM effect.
The transmission function of a double Sagnac loop filter is obtained by adopting the transmission matrix theory. Based on the results of theoretical analysis, the transmission spectra of the double Sagnac loop filter are simulated. In this study, the lengths of PMF 1 and PMF 2 are 6.6 m and 13.51 m, respectively. The birefringence differences of PMF 1 and PMF 2 are 4.0×10-4 and 5.1×10-4, respectively. When the polarization angle of PC 1 (θ1) is π/6 and the polarization angle of PC 2 (θ2) is 0, the channel spacing of the filter is 0.9 nm [Fig. 2(a)]. When θ1=0 and θ2=π/6, the channel spacing of the filter is 0.35 nm [Fig. 2(b)]. In the transmission characteristic test of the double Sagnac loop filter, by adjusting PC 1 and PC 2, the measured transmission spectra with channel spacings of 0.9 nm and 0.35 nm are obtained [Figs. 4(a) and 4(b)], which are consistent with the simulation results [Figs. 2(a) and 2(b)]. Furthermore, a irregular spectrum [Fig. 4(c)], corresponding to the situation that θ1≠0 and θ2≠0 in Eq. (11), can be observed by appropriately tuning the orientations of PC 1 and PC 2. When the channel spacing of the spectrum is fixed (0.35 nm, 0.9 nm, or irregular channel spacing), the spectral shape remains unchanged (Fig. 5) in spite of arbitrarily adjustment of the polarization angle of PC-1. Therefore, adjusting the polarization state of the incident light cannot influence the transmission spectra of the double Sagnac loop filter, indicating that it is a polarization-independent filter. Based on the theoretical analysis and measurement results of the double Sagnac loop filter, a channel spacing tunable multi-wavelength fiber laser utilizing a double Sagnac loop filter with the assistance of the FWM effect is proposed. A highly nonlinear fiber with a length of 105 m is used to effectively alleviate the mode competition. When the pump power is set to be 512 mW, the triple-wavelength lasing with a channel spacing of 0.9 nm [Fig. 7(a)] and a sextuple-wavelength lasing with a channel spacing of 0.35 nm [Fig. 7(b)] can be achieved by tuning PC 1 and PC 2, which are accordance with the simulation results [Figs. 2(a) and 2(b)] and measurement results [Figs. 4(a) and 4(b)]. It is worth noting that the channel spacing tuning process is reversible and has good repeatability.
In this study, the transmission characteristics of a double Sagnac loop filter, composed of two segments of PMF in parallel, are analyzed, simulated and measured in detail, which proves that the proposed double Sagnac loop filter has the polarization-independent characteristic and the tunable channel spacing. According to the results of simulation and measurement, a channel spacing tunable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser utilizing a double Sagnac loop filter with the assistance of the FWM effect is designed. The laser can output multi-wavelength lasing lines with channel spacings of 0.35 nm and 0.9 nm. Owing to the polarization-independent characteristic of the double Sagnac loop filter, the polarization-dependent devices are not interfere with the transmission spectra of the filter. Thus, the double Sagnac loop filter exhibits the simple structure, polarization-independence, the tunability of channel spacing, and a great potential application in the field of multi-wavelength fiber lasers.
1 引言
光纤Sagnac环具有成本低廉、损耗低和结构简单等优良特性,因此常常被用于制作光纤传感器和光纤Sagnac干涉仪滤波器[1-4]。近年来,光纤Sagnac环或者改进型光纤Sagnac环被许多学者用来作为多波长光纤激光器的滤波器[5-9]。Kim等[5]提出了一种基于高双折射Sagnac环梳状滤波器的多波长掺铒光纤激光器,但是输出的多波长并不是很稳定。这是因为掺铒光纤在室温下具有均匀展宽的特性,所以激光器无法实现稳定的多波长输出[10]。为了实现稳定的多波长输出,就需要引入抑制模式竞争的机制。Chen等[6]提出了一种基于光子晶体光纤Sagnac环梳状滤波器的多波长掺铒光纤激光器,其中具有高双折射率和高非线性的光子晶体光纤Sagnac环既能作为梳状滤波器,也能产生四波混频(FWM)效应抑制模式竞争,从而获得稳定的多波长输出。Wang等[7]提出了一种基于非线性环形镜(Nonlinear Optical Loop Mirror, NOLM)和Sagnac环梳状滤波器的多波长掺铒光纤激光器,其中高双折射的Saganc环用于产生多波长激光,NOLM用于抑制模式竞争。Cheng等[8]提出了一种基于啁啾布拉格光栅和Sagnac环梳状滤波器的可切换四波长掺铒光纤激光器,其中高双折射的Saganc环用于产生多波长输出,偏振烧孔(Polarization Hole Burning, PHB)效应用于提高输出激光的稳定性以及实现多波长激光的切换。
上述激光器都是基于单个Sagnac环梳状滤波器的多波长掺铒光纤激光器,其主要缺陷是滤波器的通道间隔无法改变。He等[11]设计了一种基于双Sagnac环滤波器的多波长掺铒光纤激光器,双Sagnac环滤波器由两段不同长度的保偏光纤(PMF)组成,通过调节偏振控制器(PC),可以实现最多四波长的输出,但是由于缺乏抑制模式竞争的器件,四波长输出非常不稳定。朱可等[12]设计了一种基于双Sagnac环滤波器的多波长掺铒光纤激光器,双Sagnac环滤波器由一段PMF和一段少模光纤组成,通过改变腔内的偏振态产生PHB效应,从而实现稳定的三波长输出,最多有六波长输出。但是研究者没有对这种双Sagnac环滤波器的传输特性进行仿真模拟。Tang等[13]设计了一种基于双Sagnac环滤波器的多波长掺铒光纤激光器,实现了稳定的五波长激光输出,输出波长最大数目为六,输出激光的模式均为LP11模。但是在对这种双Sagnac环滤波器的滤波特性进行理论分析时,只考虑了入射光是线偏振光的情况。虽然在双Sagnac环滤波器的仿真和测量中证明了双Sagnac环滤波器通道间隔的可变性,但是在激光器的实验中只观察到了一种通道间隔,研究者认为强烈的模式竞争导致激光器无法在更小的通道间隔下实现多波长激光的输出。上述基于双 Sagnac 环滤波器的理论研究和实验探究仍存在一些不足,限制了双Sagnac环滤波器在多波长光纤激光器和光纤传感技术等领域中的应用。
针对上述双Sagnac环滤波器特性理论研究的不足,本文对双Sagnac环滤波器的特性进行了理论推导和仿真分析,并对其传输特性进行了实验测试。测试结果证明了滤波器的偏振无关和通道间隔可调的特性。设计了一种基于FWM效应和双Sagnac环滤波器的多波长掺铒光纤激光器,实现了通道间隔可调谐的多波长激光,实验结果与仿真结果吻合。本文的研究结果为双Sagnac环滤波器在光纤激光器和光纤传感技术中的应用提供了理论支撑和实验参考。
2 基本原理和实验仿真
双Sagnac环滤波器的原理图如
根据耦合模理论,OC的传输矩阵可以表示为
当光入射PC时,光的偏振方向会旋转θ角度,因此PC的琼斯矩阵可以表示为
反向传输的光经过偏振控制器的琼斯矩阵为
当光经过PMF时,PMF的琼斯矩阵可以表示为
假定入射光的光场矢量为
当光进入OC 1时,有
在顺时针方向上,有
返回OC 1的4端口的电场强度为
在逆时针方向上,有
返回OC 1端口3的光场矢量为
最后两束光回到OC 1,有
当OC 1的耦合比k1=k2=k3=0.5时,透射谱的传输函数为
从透射谱的传输函数可以看出,该滤波器是偏振无关的。在仿真实验中,将PMF 1和PMF 2的长度分别设置为6.6 m和13.51 m,ΔnPMF 1=4.0×10-4,ΔnPMF 2=5.1×10-4。通过适当设置PC 1和PC 2的偏转角度,可以调控滤波器的通道间隔。当设置θ1=π/6,θ2=0时,仿真的透射谱如
图 2. 不同条件下双Sagnac环滤波器的仿真透射谱。(a)θ1=π/6,θ2=0; (b)θ1=0,θ2=π/6
Fig. 2. Simulated transmission spectra of double Sagnac loop filter under different conditions. (a) θ1=π/6, θ2=0;(b) θ1=0, θ2=π/6
3 分析与讨论
3.1 基于两段PMF的双Sagnac环滤波器的传输特性测量
为了证明理论分析和仿真结果的正确性,搭建了用于测试双Sagnac环滤波器传输特性的实验装置,如
图 3. 双Sagnac环滤波器传输谱测量的结构图
Fig. 3. Structure diagram for measuring transmission spectrum of double Sagnac loop filter
图 4. 不同通道间隔下双Sagnac环滤波器的透射光谱。(a) 0.9 nm; (b) 0.35 nm; (c)通道间隔无规律
Fig. 4. Transmission spectra of double Sagnac loop filter under different channel spacings. (a) 0.9 nm; (b) 0.35 nm;(c) irregular channel spacing
图 5. 不同条件下双Sagnac环滤波器的透射光谱。(a)通道间隔为0.9 nm,不同PC-1偏转角度;(b)通道间隔为0.35 nm,不同PC-1偏转角度;(c) 通道间隔无规律,不同PC-1偏转角度
Fig. 5. Transmission spectra of double Sagnac loop filter under different conditions. (a) Different rotation angles of PC-1 with channel spacing of 0.9 nm; (b) different rotation angles of PC-1 with channel spacing of 0.35 nm; (c) different rotation angles of PC-1 with irregular channel spacing
3.2 基于FWM效应和双 Sagnac环滤波器的通道间隔可调多波长掺铒光纤激光器
本文所设计的基于FWM效应和双Sagnac环滤波器的通道间隔可调多波长光纤激光器如
图 6. 基于FWM效应和双Sagnac环滤波器的通道间隔可调多波长掺铒光纤激光器的实验装置
Fig. 6. Experimental setup of channel spacing tunable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser utilizing double Sagnac loop filter and FWM effect
在本实验中,设置泵浦功率为512 mW,通过调节双Sagnac环滤波器中的PC 1和PC 2,可以实现输出光谱通道间隔的调控,结果如
图 7. 多波长输出的光谱。(a)通道间隔为0.9 nm; (b)通道间隔为0.35 nm
Fig. 7. Multi-wavelength output spectra. (a) Channel spacing of 0.9 nm; (b) channel spacing of 0.35 nm
4 结论
对一种由两段不同长度PMF并联构成的双Sagnac环滤波器的传输特性进行了详细的理论分析、仿真实验以及实验测量,证明了滤波器的偏振无关和通道间隔可调特性。根据仿真结果和测量结果,设计了一种基于FWM效应和双Sagnac环滤波器的通道间隔可调多波长掺铒光纤激光器,该激光器可以实现0.35 nm和0.9 nm两种通道间隔的多波长输出。由于双Sagnac环滤波器具有偏振无关特性,偏振相关的器件结构并不会与滤波器发生偏振互扰。双Sagnac环滤波器结构简单,具有偏振无关和通道间隔可调的良好特性,在多波长光纤激光器中会有很大的应用潜力。
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Article Outline
崔文翔, 周雪芳, 胡淼, 毕美华, 杨国伟, 李齐良, 王天枢. 双Sagnac环滤波器的传输特性分析和实验研究[J]. 中国激光, 2022, 49(4): 0406006. Wenxiang Cui, Xuefang Zhou, Miao Hu, Meihua Bi, Guowei Yang, Qiliang Li, Tianshu Wang. Analysis and Experimental Study on Transmission Characteristics of Double Sagnac Loop Filter[J]. Chinese Journal of Lasers, 2022, 49(4): 0406006.