Narrow bandwidth Bragg grating reflector for use in an optical waveguide
US5647038A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 30, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 30, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B2006/12107
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A narrow bandwidth Bragg grating reflector comprises at least two Bragg reflection gratings positioned to form a Fabry-Perot etalon, with an optical gain medium between them. The etalon formed by the Bragg gratings has a reflection frequency spectrum that exhibits a plurality of primary peaks and nulls. The distance between the Bragg gratings is adjusted so that a predetermined design frequency falls within the bandwidth of one of the nulls, and the optical gain medium is chosen to provide optical gain for light at the design frequency. This establishes a secondary reflection peak in the Bragg grating etalon, centered on the design frequency, with a bandwidth that is narrower than those of the individual Bragg gratings and primary reflection peaks. In a preferred embodiment, the Bragg gratings are formed in the core of an optical fiber that is doped to provide optical gain at the predetermined optical frequency. A single-mode fiber laser is also provided in which one or more of its cavity reflectors is implemented with the present narrow bandwidth Bragg reflector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.