FBG intro

Kenneth O. Hill

The formation of permanent

gratings in an optical fiber was
first demonstrated by Hill et
al.
in 1978 at the Canadian
Communications Research
Centre
(CRC), Ottawa, Ont., Canada
They launched intense
Argon-ion laser radiation into
a germania-doped fiber and
observed that after several
minutes an increase in the
reflected light intensity
occurred which grew until
almost all the light was
reflected from the fiber.

Fiber Grating

Fiber grating is made by periodically changing the

refraction index in the glass core of the fiber. The
refraction changes are made by exposing the fiber to the
UV-light with a fixed pattern.

Glass core

Glass cladding

Plastic jacket

Periodic refraction index change

(Gratings)

Fiber Grating Basics

When the grating period is half of the input light

wavelength, this wavelength signal will be reflected
coherently to make a large reflection.
The Bragg Condition
trans.

in
reflect

Reflection spectrum

Transmission spectrum
n

r = 2neff

(refraction index difference)

Fabrication

Inferometric or Holographic technique

Point by Point Technique
Phase Mask Method

Creating Gratings on Fiber

One common way to make gratings on fiber is using

Phase Mask for UV-light to expose on the fiber core.

Typical FBG Production Procedures

Select
Proper
fiber
Different
FBG
requires
different
specialty
fiber

H2
loading

Increase
photo
sensitivity
for easier
laser
writing

Laser
writing

Optical
alignment &
appropriate
laser writing
condition

Annealing

Enhance
grating
stability

Athermal
packaging

For
temperature
variation
compensation

Testing

Spec test

Characteristics of FBG

It is a reflective type filter

Not like to other types of filters, the demanded wavelength
is reflected instead of transmitted
It is very stable after annealing
The gratings are permanent on the fiber after proper
annealing process
The reflective spectrum is very stable over the time
It is transparent to through wavelength signals
The gratings are in fiber and do not degrade the through
traffic wavelengths, very low loss
It is an in-fiber component and easily integrates to other
optical devices

Types of Fiber Gratings

TYPES

CHARACTERS

APPLICATIONS

Simple reflective
gratings

Creates gratings on the fiber that

meets the Bragg condition

Filter for DWDM,

stabilizer, locker

Long period
gratings

Significant wider grating periods

that couples the light to cladding

Gain flattening filter,

dispersion
compensation

Chirped fiber
Bragg gratings

A sequence of variant period

gratings on the fiber that reflects
multiple wavelengths

Gain flattening filter,

dispersion
compensation

Slanted fiber
gratings

The gratings are created with an

angle to the transmission axis

Gain flattening filter

Athermalization

Current Applications of FBG

FBG for DWDM

FBG as EDFA Pump laser stabilizer
FBG as Optical amplifier gain flattening filter
FBG as Laser diode wavelength lock filter
FBG as Tunable filter
FBG for Remote monitoring
FBG as Sensor
.