Analysis of optical response of long period fiber gratings to nm-thick thin-film coatings

Date
2005-04-01Author
Wang, Z. Y.
Heflin, James R.
Stolen, R. H.
Ramachandran, S.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
We have theoretically and experimentally demonstrated that the resonant wavelength of long period fiber gratings (LPG) can be shifted by a large magnitude by coating with only a nm-thickthin-film that has a refractive index higher than that of the glass cladding. The resonant wavelength shift can result from either the variation of the thickness of the film and/or the variation of its refractive index. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of LPG-based sensors can be enhanced by using a film of nm-thickness and refractive index greater than silica. This coating schematic offers an efficient platform for achieving high-performance index-modulating fiber devices and high-performance index/thickness-sensing LPG-based fiber sensors for detecting optical property variations of the thin-film coating. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.