Fusion Splicing Experiments of 1060-XP Silica Fiber with Phosphate Glass Fiber

An asymmetric heating method for fusion splicing of 1 060-XP silica fiber （1 060F） and phosphate glass fiber （PGF） using an electric arc splicer has been proposed. Double joints with the lowest splice loss of 0.6 dB and good bending-resist strength between 1 060 F and PGF has been obtained. The main reasons affecting fiber splice loss and strength have been analyzed.

Processing and performance of 2D fused-silica fiber reinforced porous Si_3N_4 matrix composites

Two-dimension （2D） fused-silica fiber reinforced porous silicon nitride matrix composites were fabricated using slurry impregnation and cyclic infiltration with colloidal silica sol. The microstructure and fracture surface were characterized by SEM, the mechanical behavior was investigated by three-point bending test, and the dielectric constant was also measured by impedance analysis. The microstructure showed that the fiber and the matrix had a physical bonding, forming a clearance interface. The mechanical behavior suggested that the porous matrix acted as crack deflection, and the fracture surface had a lot of fiber pull-out. However, the interlaminar shear strength was not so good. The dielectric constant of the composites at room temperature was about 2.8-3.1. The relatively low dielectric constant and non-catastrophic failure indicated the potential application in the radome materials field. 2008 University of Science and Technology Beijing. All rights reserved.

300 000 Image-elements Silica Fiber for Image-transmission

A high capacity image-transmission silica fiber was prepared in North Jiaotong Universitysuccessfully.It is a result of cooperative development with Beijing Micro-technique Institute andBeijing Fabric No.605.This fiber shows high-resolution,high-transmittance and high-qualitycolour-fidelity.

An Effective Thermal Splicing Method to Join Fluoride and Silica Fibers for a High Power Regime

A repeatable and simple thermal splicing method for low loss splice between fluoride and silica fibers is presented. The minimum splicing loss of 0.58 dB is achieved experimentally with this approach, Meanwhile, the power capacity of this splicing joint is also tested with a high power fiber laser. The maximum input power is up to 15 W, only limited by the available power of the laser source. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on thermal splicing between fluoride and silica fibers operating in a high power regime without any complicated ion-assisted deposition process.

Effects of precoating and calcination on microstructure of 3D silica fiber reinforced silicon nitride based composites

Three-dimensional silica fiber reinforced silicon nitride based composites were fabricated by preceramic polymer infiltration and pyrolysis method using perhydropolysilazane as a precursor. The effects of precoating and high temperature calcination on the microstructures of the composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. For the composite without a precoating, the fracture surface is plain, and the fiber/matrix interfaces become very unclear after calcination at 1 600 ℃ due to intense interfacial reactions. The composite with a precoating shows tough fracture surface with distinct fiber pull-outs, and the fiber/matrix interfaces are still clear after calcination at 1 600 ℃. It is the appropriate precoating process that contributes to the good interfacial microstructures for the composite.

Electron-Irradiation and Photo-Excitation Darkening and Bleaching of Yb Doped Silica Fibers: Comparison

We report a comparative experimental study of the attenuation spectra transformations for a series of Yb doped alumino-germano silicate fibers with different contents of Yb3+ dopants, which arise as the result of irradiation either by a beam of high-energy electrons or by resonant (into the 977-nm absorption peak of YbYb3+ ions) optical pumping. The experimental data obtained reveal that in the two circumstances, substantial and complex but different in appearance changes occur within the resonant absorption band of YbYb3+ ions and in the off-resonance background loss of the fibers. Possible mechanisms responsible for these spectral changes are discussed.

High gain optical amplification and lasing performance of the Bi/P co-doped silica fiber in the O-band

In this Letter,the optical amplification characteristics of the home-made Bi/P co-doped silica fiber were systematically explored in the range of 1270–1360 nm.The maximum gain of 24.6 dB was obtained in the single-pass amplification device,and then improved to 38.3 dB in the double-pass amplification device for-30 dBm signal power.In addition,we simultaneously investigated the laser performance of the fiber with the linear cavity.A slope efficiency of 16.4%at~1313 nm was obtained with a maximum output power of about 133 mW under the input pump power of 869 mW at 1240 nm.As far as we know,it is the first laser reported based on the bismuth-doped fiber in China.

Scaling all-fiber mid-infrared supercontinuum up to 10 W-level based on thermal-spliced silica fiber and ZBLAN fiber

We demonstrate an integrated all-fiber mid-infrared(mid-IR)supercontinuum(SC)source generated by a 1.95μm master oscillator power amplifier system and a single-mode ZBLAN(ZrF_4–BaF_2–LaF_3–AlF_3–NaF)fiber.The maximum average output power is 10.67 W with spectral bandwidth covering from～1.9 to 4.1μm.The single-mode ZBLAN fiber and silica fiber are thermal-spliced to enhance the robustness and practicability of the system.It is,to the best of our knowledge,the first high-power integrated compacted all-fiber mid-IR SC source based on thermal-spliced silica fiber and ZBLAN fiber.

High signal-to-noise ratio fiber laser at 1596 nm based on a Bi/Er/La co-doped silica fiber

We fabricate a high-performance Bi/Er/La co-doped silica fiber with a fluorescence intensity of-33.8 dBm and a gain coefficient of 1.9 dB/m.With the utilization of the fiber as a gain medium,a linear-cavity fiber laser has been constructed,which exhibits a signal-to-noise ratio of 74.9 dB at 1596 nm.It has been demonstrated that the fiber laser has a maximum output power of 107.4 mW,a slope efficiency of up to 17.0%,and a linewidth of less than 0.02 nm.Moreover,an all-fiber single-stage optical amplifier is built up for laser amplification,by which the amplified laser power is up to 410.0 mW with pump efficiency of 33.8%.The results indicate that the laser is capable of high signal-to-noise ratio and narrow linewidth,with potential applications for optical fiber sensing,biomedicine,precision measurement,and the pump source of the mid-infrared fiber lasers.

Effect of power scale of 974 and 633 nm lasers on the induced loss at 633 nm of Yb3＋/Al3＋ co-doped silica fiber

Induced loss at 633 nm is tested in Yb3＋∕Al3＋co-doped silica fiber by a core pumped with a 974 nm laser and probed with a 633 nm laser. The fiber is prepared by the modified chemical vapor deposition method combined with solution doping. Different power scales of pump light and probe light are used in the tests. It is found that there is a dynamic equilibrium between photobleaching induced by 633 nm probe light and photodarkening（PD）induced by 974 nm pump light. For the first time to our knowledge, the effect of 633 nm probe laser power on an induced loss test of Yb3＋∕Al3＋co-doped silica fiber is studied quantitatively. It suggests that as long as the633 nm probe light power is less than 0.2 m W, the induced loss is mainly contributed by the PD effect of pumping light, and the deviation of induced loss is less than 5%.

Raman scattering enhancement characteristic of NbCl_5-and Nb_20_5-doped silica fibers

Two kinds of Nb-doped silica fibers, an NbCl5-doped fiber and an Nb205-doped fiber, are fabricated and char- acterized in this Letter. First, the refractive index profiles of both fibers are obtained, and then their Raman spectra are measured with 785 nm exciting light. The Nb-doped fibers＇ Raman spectra are compared with a conventional GeO2-doped single-mode silica fiber that is prepared with the same method and under the same conditions. As a result, the Raman gain coefficients of the Nb-doped silica fiber core are obtained. The exper- imental results show that Nb2O5 doping can enhance the Raman scattering intensity of the optical fibers.

Trimming Behavior of H_2-Loaded Silica Fiber Modeled by Rate Equations

Photosensitivity behavior of H2-loaded silica fiber was modeled by rate equations for activated particles. The theoretical deductions give a close explanation to experimental phenomena on post-exposure growth in fiber gratings.

2 μm mode-locking laser performances of sol-gel-fabricated large-core Tm-doped silica fiber

High-power ultrafast fiber lasers operating at the 2 μm wavelength are extremely desirable for material processing, laser surgery, and nonlinear optics. Here we fabricated large-core（LC） double-cladding Tm-doped silica fiber via the sol-gel method. The sol-gel-fabricated Tm-doped silica（SGTS） fiber had a large core diameter of 30 μm with a high refractive index homogeneity（Δn=2 × 10^（-4））. With the newly developed LC SGTS fiber as the gain fiber, high-power mode-locking was realized. By using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror（SESAM） as a mode locker, the LC SGTS fiber oscillator generated mode-locked pulses with an average output power as high as 1.0 W and a pulse duration of 23.9 ps at the wavelength of 1955.0 nm. Our research results show that the self-developed LC Tm-doped silica fiber via the sol-gel method is a promising gain fiber for generating high-power ultrafast lasers in the 2 μm spectral region.

Composite thermal protection coating on woven silica fiber fabrics

A composite coating with inner and outer layers was prepared for the thermal protection of woven silica fiber fabrics.Using a sol mixture of a silica sol and AlF3/SiO2 particles mixed in the stoichiometric molar ratio for mullite,hollow silica spheres and short mullite fibers were added to the inner layer and outer layer,respectively.The phase composition and thermal evolution of the coating,along with the interfacial microstructure between the coating and the matrix,were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction,differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry,scanning electron microscopy,and tensile strength testing.Mullite whiskers grew between 950°C and 1200°C and helped prevent thermal cracking during the drying and densification processes.The hollow silica spheres might play dual roles,weakening the adhesion between the coating and the fibers by reducing their direct contact,but strengthening the joining between the coating and substrate by embedding themselves among the fabrics.

Low Temperature Coating of Anatase Thin Films on Silica Glass Fibers by Liquid Phase Deposition

Uniform crystalline TiO2 thin films were coated on silica glass fibers by liquid phase deposition from aqueous solution of ammonium hexafluorotitanate at low temperature. TiO2 thin films and nanopowders were prepared by adding H3BO3 into （NH4）2TiF6 solution supersaturated with anatase nano-crystalline TiO2 at 40 ℃. The effects of the deposition conditions on the surface morphology, section morphology, thickness of the deposited TiO2 thin films were investigated. The results indicate that the growth rate and particle size of the thin films were controlled by both the deposition conditions and the amount of anatase nano-crystalline TiO2.

Erbium-Doped Zirconia-Alumina Silica Glass-Based Fiber as a Saturable Absorber for High Repetition Rate Q-Switched All-Fiber Laser Generation

We propose and demonstrate a Q-switched erbium-doped fiber laser （EDFL） using an erbium-doped zirconia-alumina silica glass-based fiber （Zr-EDF） as a saturable absorber. As a 16-cm-long Zr-EDF is incorporated into a ring EDFL cavity, a stable Q-switching pulse train operating at 1565？nm wavelength is successfully obtained. The repetition rate is tunable from 33.97？kHz to 71.23？kHz by increasing the pump power from the threshold of 26？mW to the maximum of 74？mW. The highest pulse energy of 26.67？nJ is obtained at the maximum pump power.

A theoretical model of thulium-doped silica fiber's ASE in the 1900 nm waveband

A theoretical model in the 1900 nm waveband for amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) of thulium-doped silica fiber is presented. The ASE spectral power as functions of the fiber length and the pump power is investigated by solving the rate and propagation equations. By calculation, when the concentration of thulium in fiber is 2.25×1025 m-3, the fiber core diameter is 2.6 μm, and the pump power is 200 mW at 808 nm, the optimal fiber length is 8.1 m, and the output power of ASE can reach 60 mW in the range of 1800-1950 nm with this fiber length. The optical-to-optical conversion is 30.3%. The optimal pump power also can be obtained by this model.

Effect of aluminum silicate fiber modification on crack-resistance of a ceramic mould

To improve the crack-resistance of the mould for silica sol bonded quartz based ceramic mould casting,aluminum silicate fibers with the diameter ranging from 5 μm to 25 μm and the length about 1 mm were dispersed in the ceramic mould.The effect of the aluminum silicate fibers on the tensile strength,shrinkage rate and the cracking trend of the ceramic mould were investigated.In the ceramic slurry,quartz sand was applied as ceramic aggregate,silica sol containing 30% silicon dioxide as bonder,and the weight ratio of quartz sand to silica sol was 2.69;the dispersed fibers changed from 0 to 0.24vol.%.The mould samples were formed after the slurry was poured and gelled at room temperature,and then sintered at different temperatures ranging from 100 to 800 ℃ to measure the tensile strength and shrinkage rate.The results show that,with the aluminum silicate fiber addition increasing from 0 to 0.24vol.%,the tensile strength increases linearly from 0.175 MPa to 0.236 MPa,and the shrinkage rate decreases linearly from 1.75% to 1.68% for the ceramic mould sintered at 400 ℃,from 1.37% to 1.31% for the ceramic mould at room temperature.As the sintering temperature was raised from 100 ℃ to 800 ℃,the tensile strength increases,and the shrinkage rate decreases at all temperatures,compared with those without fiber dispersion,but their variation patterns remain the same.Furthermore,the cracking trend of the mould and its decreasing proportion were defined and analyzed quantitatively considering both effects of the fiber dispersion on the strength and shrinkage.The cracking trend appears to decrease linearly with increasing fiber content and to reach the maximum reduction of 28.8% when 0.24vol.% fiber was dispersed.Therefore,the investigation proposes a new method to improve the crack-resistance of the ceramic mould,i.e.,inorganic fiber dispersion into the ceramic mould.

Mechanism of E' center induced by γ ray radiation in silica optical fiber material

The characteristics of the best known defect centers E' in silica optical fiber material irradiated with ray were investigated by ESR at room temperature.A mechanism model of production of the E' center defect was established.The production of E' center includes two processes creation and activation.The strained bonds(or oxygen replacement) in silica networks lead to the creation of new defects whose concentration increases linearly with the dose.The pre-existing defects produce the activation,which tends to saturation.According to this model,the relation of E' center concentration changing with irradiation dose was obtained theoretically.The results are in good agreement with the experimental results.