Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong.

published_or_final_version / Electrical Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Les composés multimatériaux à base de verre connaissent aujourd’hui un intérêt croissant, en particulier sous la forme de fibres optique pour des applications dans l’infrarouge. Parmi les matériaux vitreux qui existent, les verres chalcogénures présentent de nombreux avantages, tel qu’un large domaine de transparence allant du visible à l’infrarougeou encore de bonne aptitude à pouvoir être étirer. Pour réaliser de nouvelles fibres multimatériaux, il est important d’avoir accès à un choix étendu de compositions vitreuses étirables pouvant servir de matrice hôte. Il peut être montré que les verres actuellement utilisés pour la réalisation de fibres multimatériaux couvrent deux plages de température de transition vitreuse différentes ; soit à basse température (100-250 °C), ou à haute température (1000 °C et plus). Le manque d’information sur des verres étirables couvrant un domaine intermédiaire de température entre 250 et 1000 °C, nous ont conduit à explorer les propriétés et les capacités d’étirement des verres des deux systèmes ternaires Ge-S-I et Ga-As-S. Il sera montré que ces systèmes vitreux ont en effet des Tg permettant de couvrir cette gamme intermédiaire de température et ont de larges domaines de formation vitreux. Un ensemble de caractérisations physiques et thermiques sur les verres au sein des systèmes ternaires Ge-S-I et Ge-As-S seront présentés et analysés. Il sera possible d’observer, comment notamment les résultats des mesures thermomécaniques et de viscosité des échantillons synthétisés ont permis d’aborder dans les meilleures conditions les tests d’étirement des verres. Ou encore comment l’analyse minutieuse des propriétés a pu permettre de définir un domaine de composition combinant à la fois des propriétés optimales en termes de Tg et de transparence dans le visible, avec une bonne capacité à pouvoir être étirées sous forme de fibres optiques. Pour la première fois les domaines de fibrage des deux ternaires à partir de l’étirement d’une préforme seront présentés dans ce manuscrit. Ce travail présente également une caractérisation structurale des verres Ge-S-I. Cette étude a été réalisé en combinant la spectroscopie Raman, la spectroscopie IR et des calculs de chimie théorique afin de proposer un nouveau modèle structural basé sur les avancés les plus récentes d'une part sur la structure du système binaire Ge-S, puis ternaire Ge-S-I.Enfin, les résultats préliminaires sur la réalisation de fibres multimatériaux à partir de verres Ge-S-I et Ge-As-S pour la réalisation de sources laser entre 3 et 5 µm, seront présentés. Le projet, la méthodologie et les résultats quant à la réalisation d’une fibre multimatériaux à base de verre chalcogénure avec un cœur cristallisé de ZnS à partir de deux techniques innovantes différentes, seront présentés. / Nowadays, the interest on multimaterials based on glass matrix growth constantly, in particular in the field of multimaterial optical fibers for IR applications. Among the glass materials that exist, chalcogenide glasses presents a lot of advantages as for instance large transparency windows, spanning from the visible to the infrared or also good capability to be drawn. In the aim to realize new multimaterials fibers, it is important to get a large choice of draw able glass compositions that can be used as host matrix. It can be shown that the glass used currently to make multimaterial fibers covers two glass transition temperature range ; low temperature (100-250 °C) and high temperature (1000 °C and more). The lack of information regarding the existence of glass compositions that can be drawn into fibers at intermediate temperature (between 250 and 1000 °C), has lead us to explore the properties and the draw ability of glasses into two ternary systems: Ge-As-S and Ge-S-I. It will be presented that these glass systems possess Tg that covers this intermediate range of temperature and have large glass forming regions. Some physical and thermal characterizations of Ge-As-S and Ge-S-I glasses will be presented and analyzed. It will be possible to observe how the thermomechanical and viscosity measurements made on the different samples enabled us to perform the drawing tests in the best conditions. It will be also possible to see how a careful analysis of the Ge-S-I glass properties gave us the possibility to define a glass region combining optimal properties as Tg and transparency in the visible, and good capability to be drawn. For the first time, the fiber drawing region of both systems will be presented in this thesis. This work present also a structural characterization of Ge-S-I glasses using IR and Raman spectroscopy as well as DFT calculations, in the aim to propose a new structural model based on recent development in the Ge-S network structure. Finally, preliminary results on the realization of Ge-S-I and Ge-As-S based multimaterial fibers for the production of IR laser sources between 3 and 5 µm, will be presented. The last chapter will present the project, the methodology and the results obtained to realize multimaterial fibers with ZnS core, using two different technics.

The objective of this thesis was to develop novel technologies for measuring the physical characteristics of high-speed pulse trains, for use in performance monitoring applications. This thesis describes the development of three separate techniques that perform measurements in either the time domain, frequency domain or the phase space of the optical signal. The first section investigates phase-sensitive pulse measurement techniques. A high- resolution SHG-FROG apparatus was custom-designed to measure 40GHz RZ pulse trains, from which an operational characterisation of a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) was realised. A numerical model of a nonlinear pulse compressor was developed to compress 40GHz RZ pulses from 8.5ps down to 3.4ps. These pulses were time-division multiplexed to 80GHz, and phase-retrievals of the 80GHz pulse trains were measured. A comparison between the techniques of SHG-FROG and linear spectrogram has been undertaken for 10GHz pulse sources, exposing SHG-FROG's weaknesses at this particular repetition rate. The second section investigates a simple, time-averaged, nonlinear detection technique. Two-photon absorption in a GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well laser diode was used to measure the duty cycle (and by extension, the pulse duration) of a range of pulse sources. This technique was further developed to measure the extinction ratio of NRZ pulse trains. Additionally, the pulse duration of a mode-locked laser source was measured using the nonlinear absorption in a 1-m length of As2Se3 Chalcogenide glass fiber. This demonstrates that the nonlinear properties of this glass may well find application in future instrumentation. The third section investigates the development of an ultra-high resolution swept heterodyne spectrometer. This spectrometer was used to spectrally-distinguish repetitive 8-bit NRZ patterns at 2.5Gbit/s. It was also used to measure the chirp parameter of an X-cut LiNbO3 MZM, revealing a chirp parameter of απ/2 < 0.1 across a modulation band- width of 250-2500MHz. Additionally, the distinctive CW spectrum of a DFB laser diode was measured. Analysis of the measured CW spectrum yielded a linewidth enhancement factor of α≃ 1.8 and also the relative intensity noise of the DFB laser diode.

Arsenic trisulfide (As₂S₃) waveguide devices on lithium niobate substrates (LiNbO₃) provide a set of compact and versatile means for guiding and manipulating optical modes in infrared integrated optical circuits, including the integrated trace gas detection system. As a member of the chalcogenide glass family, As₂S₃ has many properties superior to other materials, such as high transparency up to 10 [mu]m, large refractive index and high nonlinear coefficient. At the wavelength of 4.8[mu]m, low-loss As₂S₃ waveguides are achieved: The propagation loss is 0.33 dB/cm; the coupling efficiency is estimated to be 81 %; and less than 3 dB loss is measured for a 90-degree bent waveguide of 250 [mu]m bending radius. They offer an ideal solution to the optical interconnection -- the fundamental element of an optical circuit. LiNbO₃ is a birefringent crystal that has long been studied as the substrate material. Titanium diffused waveguides in lithium niobate substrate (Ti: LiNbO₃) have excellent electro-optical properties, based on which, on-chip polarization converters are demonstrated. New benefits can be obtained by integrating As₂S₃ and Ti: LiNbO₃ to form a hybrid waveguide, which benefits from the high index contrast of As₂S₃ and the electro-optical properties of Ti: LiNbO₃ as well as its easy connection with commercial single mode fibers. For hybrid waveguides, the mode coupling is key. A taper coupler is preferred owing to its simplicity in design and fabrication. Although preliminary experiments have shown the feasibility of such integration, the underlying mechanism is not well understood and guidelines for design are lacking. Therefore, a simulation method is first developed and then applied to the taper coupler design. Devices based on taper couplers are then fabricated and characterized. The study reveals that in the presence of mode beating, it is not necessarily the longer taper that is the better coupling. There exists an optimum length for a taper with fixed width variation. A two-stage taper design can largely reduce the total length, e. g. by 64%, while keeping the coupling efficiency above 90%. According to the frequency domain analysis, these practical taper couplers work for a wavelength range instead of a single wavelength.

The objective of this thesis was to develop novel technologies for measuring the physical characteristics of high-speed pulse trains, for use in performance monitoring applications. This thesis describes the development of three separate techniques that perform measurements in either the time domain, frequency domain or the phase space of the optical signal. The first section investigates phase-sensitive pulse measurement techniques. A high- resolution SHG-FROG apparatus was custom-designed to measure 40GHz RZ pulse trains, from which an operational characterisation of a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) was realised. A numerical model of a nonlinear pulse compressor was developed to compress 40GHz RZ pulses from 8.5ps down to 3.4ps. These pulses were time-division multiplexed to 80GHz, and phase-retrievals of the 80GHz pulse trains were measured. A comparison between the techniques of SHG-FROG and linear spectrogram has been undertaken for 10GHz pulse sources, exposing SHG-FROG's weaknesses at this particular repetition rate. The second section investigates a simple, time-averaged, nonlinear detection technique. Two-photon absorption in a GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well laser diode was used to measure the duty cycle (and by extension, the pulse duration) of a range of pulse sources. This technique was further developed to measure the extinction ratio of NRZ pulse trains. Additionally, the pulse duration of a mode-locked laser source was measured using the nonlinear absorption in a 1-m length of As2Se3 Chalcogenide glass fiber. This demonstrates that the nonlinear properties of this glass may well find application in future instrumentation. The third section investigates the development of an ultra-high resolution swept heterodyne spectrometer. This spectrometer was used to spectrally-distinguish repetitive 8-bit NRZ patterns at 2.5Gbit/s. It was also used to measure the chirp parameter of an X-cut LiNbO3 MZM, revealing a chirp parameter of απ/2 < 0.1 across a modulation band- width of 250-2500MHz. Additionally, the distinctive CW spectrum of a DFB laser diode was measured. Analysis of the measured CW spectrum yielded a linewidth enhancement factor of α≃ 1.8 and also the relative intensity noise of the DFB laser diode.

The objective of this thesis was to develop novel technologies for measuring the physical characteristics of high-speed pulse trains, for use in performance monitoring applications. This thesis describes the development of three separate techniques that perform measurements in either the time domain, frequency domain or the phase space of the optical signal. The first section investigates phase-sensitive pulse measurement techniques. A high- resolution SHG-FROG apparatus was custom-designed to measure 40GHz RZ pulse trains, from which an operational characterisation of a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) was realised. A numerical model of a nonlinear pulse compressor was developed to compress 40GHz RZ pulses from 8.5ps down to 3.4ps. These pulses were time-division multiplexed to 80GHz, and phase-retrievals of the 80GHz pulse trains were measured. A comparison between the techniques of SHG-FROG and linear spectrogram has been undertaken for 10GHz pulse sources, exposing SHG-FROG's weaknesses at this particular repetition rate. The second section investigates a simple, time-averaged, nonlinear detection technique. Two-photon absorption in a GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well laser diode was used to measure the duty cycle (and by extension, the pulse duration) of a range of pulse sources. This technique was further developed to measure the extinction ratio of NRZ pulse trains. Additionally, the pulse duration of a mode-locked laser source was measured using the nonlinear absorption in a 1-m length of As2Se3 Chalcogenide glass fiber. This demonstrates that the nonlinear properties of this glass may well find application in future instrumentation. The third section investigates the development of an ultra-high resolution swept heterodyne spectrometer. This spectrometer was used to spectrally-distinguish repetitive 8-bit NRZ patterns at 2.5Gbit/s. It was also used to measure the chirp parameter of an X-cut LiNbO3 MZM, revealing a chirp parameter of απ/2 < 0.1 across a modulation band- width of 250-2500MHz. Additionally, the distinctive CW spectrum of a DFB laser diode was measured. Analysis of the measured CW spectrum yielded a linewidth enhancement factor of α≃ 1.8 and also the relative intensity noise of the DFB laser diode.

The objective of this thesis was to develop novel technologies for measuring the physical characteristics of high-speed pulse trains, for use in performance monitoring applications. This thesis describes the development of three separate techniques that perform measurements in either the time domain, frequency domain or the phase space of the optical signal. The first section investigates phase-sensitive pulse measurement techniques. A high- resolution SHG-FROG apparatus was custom-designed to measure 40GHz RZ pulse trains, from which an operational characterisation of a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) was realised. A numerical model of a nonlinear pulse compressor was developed to compress 40GHz RZ pulses from 8.5ps down to 3.4ps. These pulses were time-division multiplexed to 80GHz, and phase-retrievals of the 80GHz pulse trains were measured. A comparison between the techniques of SHG-FROG and linear spectrogram has been undertaken for 10GHz pulse sources, exposing SHG-FROG's weaknesses at this particular repetition rate. The second section investigates a simple, time-averaged, nonlinear detection technique. Two-photon absorption in a GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well laser diode was used to measure the duty cycle (and by extension, the pulse duration) of a range of pulse sources. This technique was further developed to measure the extinction ratio of NRZ pulse trains. Additionally, the pulse duration of a mode-locked laser source was measured using the nonlinear absorption in a 1-m length of As2Se3 Chalcogenide glass fiber. This demonstrates that the nonlinear properties of this glass may well find application in future instrumentation. The third section investigates the development of an ultra-high resolution swept heterodyne spectrometer. This spectrometer was used to spectrally-distinguish repetitive 8-bit NRZ patterns at 2.5Gbit/s. It was also used to measure the chirp parameter of an X-cut LiNbO3 MZM, revealing a chirp parameter of απ/2 < 0.1 across a modulation band- width of 250-2500MHz. Additionally, the distinctive CW spectrum of a DFB laser diode was measured. Analysis of the measured CW spectrum yielded a linewidth enhancement factor of α≃ 1.8 and also the relative intensity noise of the DFB laser diode.

The objective of this thesis was to develop novel technologies for measuring the physical characteristics of high-speed pulse trains, for use in performance monitoring applications. This thesis describes the development of three separate techniques that perform measurements in either the time domain, frequency domain or the phase space of the optical signal. The first section investigates phase-sensitive pulse measurement techniques. A high- resolution SHG-FROG apparatus was custom-designed to measure 40GHz RZ pulse trains, from which an operational characterisation of a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) was realised. A numerical model of a nonlinear pulse compressor was developed to compress 40GHz RZ pulses from 8.5ps down to 3.4ps. These pulses were time-division multiplexed to 80GHz, and phase-retrievals of the 80GHz pulse trains were measured. A comparison between the techniques of SHG-FROG and linear spectrogram has been undertaken for 10GHz pulse sources, exposing SHG-FROG's weaknesses at this particular repetition rate. The second section investigates a simple, time-averaged, nonlinear detection technique. Two-photon absorption in a GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well laser diode was used to measure the duty cycle (and by extension, the pulse duration) of a range of pulse sources. This technique was further developed to measure the extinction ratio of NRZ pulse trains. Additionally, the pulse duration of a mode-locked laser source was measured using the nonlinear absorption in a 1-m length of As2Se3 Chalcogenide glass fiber. This demonstrates that the nonlinear properties of this glass may well find application in future instrumentation. The third section investigates the development of an ultra-high resolution swept heterodyne spectrometer. This spectrometer was used to spectrally-distinguish repetitive 8-bit NRZ patterns at 2.5Gbit/s. It was also used to measure the chirp parameter of an X-cut LiNbO3 MZM, revealing a chirp parameter of απ/2 < 0.1 across a modulation band- width of 250-2500MHz. Additionally, the distinctive CW spectrum of a DFB laser diode was measured. Analysis of the measured CW spectrum yielded a linewidth enhancement factor of α≃ 1.8 and also the relative intensity noise of the DFB laser diode.

The objective of this thesis was to develop novel technologies for measuring the physical characteristics of high-speed pulse trains, for use in performance monitoring applications. This thesis describes the development of three separate techniques that perform measurements in either the time domain, frequency domain or the phase space of the optical signal. The first section investigates phase-sensitive pulse measurement techniques. A high- resolution SHG-FROG apparatus was custom-designed to measure 40GHz RZ pulse trains, from which an operational characterisation of a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) was realised. A numerical model of a nonlinear pulse compressor was developed to compress 40GHz RZ pulses from 8.5ps down to 3.4ps. These pulses were time-division multiplexed to 80GHz, and phase-retrievals of the 80GHz pulse trains were measured. A comparison between the techniques of SHG-FROG and linear spectrogram has been undertaken for 10GHz pulse sources, exposing SHG-FROG's weaknesses at this particular repetition rate. The second section investigates a simple, time-averaged, nonlinear detection technique. Two-photon absorption in a GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well laser diode was used to measure the duty cycle (and by extension, the pulse duration) of a range of pulse sources. This technique was further developed to measure the extinction ratio of NRZ pulse trains. Additionally, the pulse duration of a mode-locked laser source was measured using the nonlinear absorption in a 1-m length of As2Se3 Chalcogenide glass fiber. This demonstrates that the nonlinear properties of this glass may well find application in future instrumentation. The third section investigates the development of an ultra-high resolution swept heterodyne spectrometer. This spectrometer was used to spectrally-distinguish repetitive 8-bit NRZ patterns at 2.5Gbit/s. It was also used to measure the chirp parameter of an X-cut LiNbO3 MZM, revealing a chirp parameter of απ/2 < 0.1 across a modulation band- width of 250-2500MHz. Additionally, the distinctive CW spectrum of a DFB laser diode was measured. Analysis of the measured CW spectrum yielded a linewidth enhancement factor of α≃ 1.8 and also the relative intensity noise of the DFB laser diode.