A tunable erbium-doped fiber ring laser using an intra-cavity Fabry-Perot filter as the tuning element is investigated. Tuning is achieved by varying the applied voltage which controls the FP cavity length. The laser's wavelength is monitored using an optical spectrum analyzer to determine the laser's spectral characteristics under static conditions at different wavelengths over its tuning range of approximately 50nm. When the laser is tuned rapidly, the frequency versus time characteristic is determined using a fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer with a photodetector to convert the optical signal to an electrical signal. The core of the research is to determine the degree of spectral broadening of the laser as a function of the spectral tuning rate. The fringe contrast of fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer transmittance curves decreases with increase in the tuning frequency. The gain at a certain wavelength becomes a function of time putting an upper limit on the tuning frequency of the system. The carrier lifetime of erbium ions dictates the maximum achievable tuning speed.

No description available.

This thesis presents a novel technique named "Core Suction" for fabricating optical fiber preforms for manufacturing highly doped fibers (HDFs) for optical amplification (Raman effect based or Erbium fiber based). The technique involves drawing the molten non-conventional core glass material into the silica cladding tube to form the preform. The developed technique is simple, inexpensive and shows great potential for fabricating preforms of highly nonlinear non-conventional multi-component glasses as the core material. Preforms were made with various core glasses such as Schott SF6, Lead-Tellurium-Germanate, Lead-Tellurium-Germanate- Neodymium -Erbium and MM2 in silica cladding tubes and then pulled into fibers. The fabricated fibers were measured for refractive index profile, loss spectrum and spontaneous Raman spectra. Elemental analysis of the fiber samples was also performed using an electron microprobe. Erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) were setup using 30 cm, 5cm and 1 cm lengths of fabricated erbium doped fibers and their gain spectra measured. The distributed gain spectrum for an EDFA was also measured using an optical frequency domain reflectometery (OFDR) technique. Commercial dispersion compensated fiber (DCF) with very high GeO2 doping was used to setup a Raman amplifier and the gain spectrum measured. One of the needs of Raman amplification in optical fibers is to predict an accurate Raman gain, based on the fiber's refractive index profile. A method of predicting Raman gain in GeO2 doped fibers is presented and the predicted Raman gain values are compared with the measured ones in the same fibers. Raman gain issues like the dependence of the Raman gain on the GeO2 concentration, polarization dependence were taken into account for the gain calculations. An experimental setup for Raman gain measurements was made and measurement issues addressed. Polarization dependence of the Raman gain in one kilometer of polarization maintaining fiber was also measured. / Ph. D.

Os sistemas ópticos atuais, baseados em fibras monomodo, operam próximos ao limite teórico da capacidade. Sistemas ópticos baseados em multiplexação modal (Mode Division Multiplexing – MDM) possibilitam o aumento da capacidade do sistema por meio do uso de fibras de poucos modos. Nestes sistemas, a propriedade de ortogonalidade entre os modos propagantes permite que cada modo espacial carregue um sinal óptico específico. O amplificador à fibra dopada com érbio (Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier – EDFA) segue fundamental para assegurar a transmissão em longas distâncias. No entanto, devido às distintas distribuições de intensidade dos modos que compõem o sinal de entrada, cada modo experimenta diferentes valores de ganho. Desta forma, o objetivo principal no projeto de EDFAs de poucos modos (Few-Mode Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier – FM-EDFA) é determinar os melhores parâmetros opto-geométricos da fibra para produzir uma amplificação eficiente. A metodologia normalmente empregada é baseada na resolução das equações de taxa e de propagação. Nesta tese, é proposta uma metodologia alternativa de projeto de FM-EDFA, baseada em uma nova figura de mérito. Este parâmetro quantifica o nível de inversão da população dos íons na fibra a partir da integral de superposição (overlap integral), considerando tanto o perfil de dopagem da fibra dopada com érbio para poucos modos (Few-Mode Erbium-Doped Fiber – FM-EDF) quanto as distribuições de intensidade dos sinais de entrada e de bombeio. A aplicação desta metodologia permite reduzir, em cerca de 25-40 vezes, o número de resoluções das equações de taxa e de propagação e, consequentemente, diminuir o tempo de processamento e reduzir o esforço computacional. Como consequência da maior velocidade de processamento, torna-se possível a aplicação de métodos de otimização mais rigorosos, permitindo uma busca em um espaço irrestrito de soluções. Especificamente, a partir de uma metodologia baseada em algoritmos genéticos, obteve-se um perfil de dopagem otimizado. É também demonstrado que os perfis com geometria circular exibem melhores características, como excelente desempenho do FM-EDFA e maior facilidade de fabricação. Por meio da análise da figura de mérito, é mostrado que o desempenho do FM-EDFA é afetado pelas características do modo de bombeio. Finalmente, o desempenho de um sistema óptico MDM é avaliado, simulado por meio da integração entre as ferramentas MatLab® e VPItransmissionMakerTM, comprovando a necessidade do projeto de um amplificador específico para sistemas MDM. / Modern optical systems based on single-mode fiber, operate close to the theoretical capacity limit. By using few-mode fibers, optical systems based on modal division multiplexing (MDM) allows increased system capacity. In these systems, orthogonality between the propagating modes allows each spatial mode to carry a specific optical signal. The erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) remains essential to ensure long distance transmission. However, due to the distinct intensity profile distributions of the modes which comprise the input signal, each mode experiences a different value of optical gain. Thus, the main objective in the few-mode EDFA design (FM-EDFA) is to determine the best opto-geometrical fiber parameters in order to produce an efficient amplification. The methodology normally used is based on the simultaneous resolution of the rate and propagation equations. In this thesis, we propose an alternative methodology for the FM-EDFA design, based on a new figure of merit which quantifies the level of population inversion for the Er ions in the fiber, by means of a overlap integral considering both the doping profile of the few-mode erbium doped fiber (FM-EDF) as well as the intensity distributions of the optical signals and pump beams. This methodology reduces, by a factor of 25-40, the number of resolutions of the rate and propagation equations, thereby decreasing processing time and computational effort. As a consequence of the improved processing speed, it becomes possible to apply more rigorous optimization methods in an unrestricted solution space. Specifically, by using a genetic algorithm technique, we obtained an optimized doping profile. It is also shown that profiles with circular geometry exhibit improved features, such as excellent FM-EDFA performance and ease of manufacturing. By analyzing the figure of merit, it is shown that the FM-EDFA performance is affected by the characteristics of the pump mode. Finally, the performance of an MDM optical system is evaluated, by integrating Matlab and VPI simulation tools, to demonstrate the need for specific amplifier designs in MDM systems.

Os sistemas ópticos atuais, baseados em fibras monomodo, operam próximos ao limite teórico da capacidade. Sistemas ópticos baseados em multiplexação modal (Mode Division Multiplexing – MDM) possibilitam o aumento da capacidade do sistema por meio do uso de fibras de poucos modos. Nestes sistemas, a propriedade de ortogonalidade entre os modos propagantes permite que cada modo espacial carregue um sinal óptico específico. O amplificador à fibra dopada com érbio (Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier – EDFA) segue fundamental para assegurar a transmissão em longas distâncias. No entanto, devido às distintas distribuições de intensidade dos modos que compõem o sinal de entrada, cada modo experimenta diferentes valores de ganho. Desta forma, o objetivo principal no projeto de EDFAs de poucos modos (Few-Mode Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier – FM-EDFA) é determinar os melhores parâmetros opto-geométricos da fibra para produzir uma amplificação eficiente. A metodologia normalmente empregada é baseada na resolução das equações de taxa e de propagação. Nesta tese, é proposta uma metodologia alternativa de projeto de FM-EDFA, baseada em uma nova figura de mérito. Este parâmetro quantifica o nível de inversão da população dos íons na fibra a partir da integral de superposição (overlap integral), considerando tanto o perfil de dopagem da fibra dopada com érbio para poucos modos (Few-Mode Erbium-Doped Fiber – FM-EDF) quanto as distribuições de intensidade dos sinais de entrada e de bombeio. A aplicação desta metodologia permite reduzir, em cerca de 25-40 vezes, o número de resoluções das equações de taxa e de propagação e, consequentemente, diminuir o tempo de processamento e reduzir o esforço computacional. Como consequência da maior velocidade de processamento, torna-se possível a aplicação de métodos de otimização mais rigorosos, permitindo uma busca em um espaço irrestrito de soluções. Especificamente, a partir de uma metodologia baseada em algoritmos genéticos, obteve-se um perfil de dopagem otimizado. É também demonstrado que os perfis com geometria circular exibem melhores características, como excelente desempenho do FM-EDFA e maior facilidade de fabricação. Por meio da análise da figura de mérito, é mostrado que o desempenho do FM-EDFA é afetado pelas características do modo de bombeio. Finalmente, o desempenho de um sistema óptico MDM é avaliado, simulado por meio da integração entre as ferramentas MatLab® e VPItransmissionMakerTM, comprovando a necessidade do projeto de um amplificador específico para sistemas MDM. / Modern optical systems based on single-mode fiber, operate close to the theoretical capacity limit. By using few-mode fibers, optical systems based on modal division multiplexing (MDM) allows increased system capacity. In these systems, orthogonality between the propagating modes allows each spatial mode to carry a specific optical signal. The erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) remains essential to ensure long distance transmission. However, due to the distinct intensity profile distributions of the modes which comprise the input signal, each mode experiences a different value of optical gain. Thus, the main objective in the few-mode EDFA design (FM-EDFA) is to determine the best opto-geometrical fiber parameters in order to produce an efficient amplification. The methodology normally used is based on the simultaneous resolution of the rate and propagation equations. In this thesis, we propose an alternative methodology for the FM-EDFA design, based on a new figure of merit which quantifies the level of population inversion for the Er ions in the fiber, by means of a overlap integral considering both the doping profile of the few-mode erbium doped fiber (FM-EDF) as well as the intensity distributions of the optical signals and pump beams. This methodology reduces, by a factor of 25-40, the number of resolutions of the rate and propagation equations, thereby decreasing processing time and computational effort. As a consequence of the improved processing speed, it becomes possible to apply more rigorous optimization methods in an unrestricted solution space. Specifically, by using a genetic algorithm technique, we obtained an optimized doping profile. It is also shown that profiles with circular geometry exhibit improved features, such as excellent FM-EDFA performance and ease of manufacturing. By analyzing the figure of merit, it is shown that the FM-EDFA performance is affected by the characteristics of the pump mode. Finally, the performance of an MDM optical system is evaluated, by integrating Matlab and VPI simulation tools, to demonstrate the need for specific amplifier designs in MDM systems.

Photonics and Optical techniques have advanced recently by a great extend to play an important role in Microwave and Radar applications. Antenna array of modern active phased array radars consist of multiple low power transmit and receive mod- ules. This demands distribution of the various Local Oscillator(LO) signals for up conversion of transmit signals and down conversion of receive signals during various modes of operation of a radar system. Additionally, these receivers require control and clock signals which are digital and low frequency analog, for the synchronization between receive modules. This is normally achieved through RF cables with complex distribution networks which add significantly higher additional weight to the arrays. During radar operations, radio frequency (RF) transmit signal needs to be distributed through the same modules which will in turn get distributed to all antenna elements of the array using RF cables. This makes the system bulky and these large number of cables are prone to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and need additional shielding. Therefore it is very desirable to distribute a combination of these RF, analog and digital signals using a distribution network that is less complex, light in weight and immune to EMI. Advancements in Optical and Microwave photonics area have enabled carrying of higher datarate signals on a single fiber due to its higher bandwidth capability including RF signals. This is achieved by employing Wavelength Division Multi- plexing (WDM) that combine high speed channels at different wavelengths. This work proposes, characterizes and evaluates an optical Wavelength Division Multiplexed(WDM) distribution network that will overcome the above mentioned problems in a phased array radar application. The work carries out a feasibility analysis supported with experimental measurements of various physical parameters like am- plitude, delay, frequency and phase variation for various radar waveforms over WDM links. Different configurations of optical distribution network are analyzed for multipoint distribution of both digital and RF signals. These network configurations are modeled and evaluated against various parameters that include power level, loss, cost and component count. A configuration which optimizes these parameters based on the application requirements is investigated. Considerable attention is paid to choose a configuration which does not provide excess loss, which is economically viable, compact and can be realized with minimum component count. After analysing the link configuration, multiplexing density of the WDM link is considered. In this work, since the number of signals to be distributed in radar systems are small, a coarse WDM(CWDM) scheme is considered for evaluation. A comparative study is also performed between coarse and dense WDM (DWDM) links for selection of a suitable multiplexing scheme. These configurations are modeled and evaluated with power budgeting. Even though CWDM scheme does not permit the utilisation of the available bandwidth to the fullest extent, these links have the advantage of having less hardware complexity and easiness of implementation. As the application requires signal distribution to thousands of transmit-receive modules, amplifiers are necessary to compensate for the reduction of signal level due to the high splitting ratio. Introduction of commonly available optical amplifiers like Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA), affect the CWDM channel output powers adversely due to their non-flat gain spectrum. Unlike DWDM systems, the channel separation of CWDM systems are much larger causing significantly high channel gain differences at the EDFA output. So an analysis is carried out for the selection of a suitable wavelength for CWDM channels to minimize the EDFA output power variation. If the gain difference is still significant, separate techniques needs to be implemented to flatten the output power at the antenna end. A CWDM configuration using C-band and L-band EDFAs is proposed and is supported with a feasibility analysis. As a part of evaluation of these links for radar applications, a mathematical model of the WDM link is developed by considering both the RF and digital sig- nals. A generic CWDM system consisting of transmitters, receivers, amplifiers, multiplexers/ demultiplexers and detectors are considered for the modeling. For RF signal transmission, the transmitters with external modulators are considered. Mod- eling is done based on a bottom-top approach where individual component models are initially modeled as a function of input current/power and later cascaded to obtain the link model. These models are then extended to obtain the wavelength dependent model ( spectral response) of the hybrid signal distribution link Further mathematical analysis of the developed link model revealed its variable separable nature in terms of the input power and wavelength. This led to significant reduction in the link equation complexity and development of some approximation techniques to easily represent the link behavior. The reduced form of the link spectral model was very essential as the initially developed wavelength model had a lot of parametric dependency on the component models. This mathematical reduction process led to simplification of the spectral model into a product of two independent functions, the input current and wavelength. It is also noticed that the total link power within specific wavelength range can be obtained by the integrating these functions over a specific link input power. After the mathematical modelling, an experimental prototype physical link is set up and characterized using various radar signals like continuous wave (CW) RF, pulsed RF, non linear frequency modulated signal (NLFM) etc. Additionally a proof of concept Radio-Over-Fiber (RoF) link is established to prove the superior transmission of microwave signal through an optical link. The analysis is supported with measurements on amplitude, delay, frequency and phase variations. The NLFM waveforms transmissions are further analysed using a matched _ltering process to confirm the side lobe requirement. Further a prototype WDM link is built to study the performance when digitally modulated channels are also multiplexed into the link. The link is again validated for signal levels, delay, frequency and phase parameters. Since amplitude and delay are deterministic, it is proposed that these parameter variations can be compensated by using suitable components either in the electrical or the optical domain. Radar systems use low frequency digital signals of different duty-cycles for synchronization and control across various transmit-receive modules. In the proposed link, these digital signals also modulate a WDM channel and hence the link is called a hybrid system. As the proposed link has EDFA to compensate for the splitting losses, there are chances of transient effects at the EDFA output for these low bitrate channels. Owing to the long carrier lifetime, low bitrate digital channels are prone to EDFA transient effects under specific signal and pump power conditions. Additionally, the synchronization signals used in radar application vary the duty-cycle over time, which is found to introduce variations in transient output. This practical challenge is further studied and the thesis for the first time, includes an analysis of EDFA transient e_ects for variable duty-cycle pulsed signals. The analysis is carried out for various parameters like bitrate, input power, pump power and duty-cycle. Investigations on EDFA transients on variable duty-cycle signals help in proposing a viable method to predict the lower duty-cycle transients from higher duty-cycle transients. The predicted transients were again validated against simulated transients and experimental results. As these transient effects are not desirable for radar signals, we propose a novel transient suppression techniques in optical and electrical domain which are validated with simulation and experimental measures. One suppression technique tries to avoid transient effect by keeping the optical input to EDFA always constant by feeding an inverted version of the original pulse into the EDFA along with the actual pulse. It is observed that as the wavelength of the inverted pulse is closer to the original input pulse, the transient effect settles faster. These EDFA transients are evaluated with WDM link configurations, where both high and low bitrate signals are co-propagated. Another challenging aspect of the link operation is the non-at gain spectrum of EDFA. i.e., EDFA provides unequal power level for various signals at WDM link output. This is especially true in the case of local oscillator signals, where it is preferable to have the same amplitude signals before feeding it to the mixer stages. But in the radar applications, this will require additional hardware circuits to equalize the signal level within a phased array antenna. This work also proposes some of the power equalization methods that can be used along with the WDM links. This part of the work is also supported with simulation model and experimental results. The analytical and experimental study of this thesis aids the evaluation process of a suitable optical Wavelength Division Multiplexed(WDM) distribution network that can be used for the distribution of both RF and digital signals. The optical WDM links being superior with its light weight, less loss and EMI/ EMC immunity provides a better solution to future class of radars.

[pt] Diferentes tipos de lasers podem ser usados para gerar pulsos de luz com uma ampla faixa de durações de pulso, energias e potências de pico. As técnicas de Q-switching e mode-locked são relatadas há anos por vários autores e pesquisadores e são frequentemente utilizadas na geração de lasers de pulso ultracurto com duração de pulso no domínio do tempo na faixa de nanossegundos até femtossegundos. Uma configuração, com ganho fornecido por um amplificador óptico semicondutor (SOA) e amplificador de fibra dopada com érbio (EDFA) é proposta e emprega a técnica de gerenciamento de dispersão para gerar um trem de pulsos ópticos exibindo alta potência de pico, taxa de repetição ultra-baixa e largura temporal curta, habilitando que este laser seja usado como uma fonte para aplicações de alta resolução em reflectometria óptica no domínio do tempo (OTDR). A operação mode-locked é conhecida por ocorrer apenas em lasers ordenados padrão por um longo tempo e até recentemente foi encontrado também em lasers de fibra aleatórios desordenados (RFL). Embora tenha havido progresso no sentido de travar modos espaciais e longitudinais em lasers aleatórios, a literatura carece de relatos sobre geração de pulsos limitada por transformada de Fourier, apesar das muitas décadas de campo. O autor demonstra experimentalmente um mode-locked random fiber laser (MLRFL) operando como um refletômetro óptico de domínio do tempo sensível à fase. Aqui, a saída total do laser fornece o sinal de detecção, em contraste com o pequeno sinal retroespalhado medido em um OTDR convencional. O laser opera como um sensor acústico distribuído (DAS) e sensor de temperatura distribuído (DTS). / [en] Different types of lasers can be used to generate light pulses with a wide range of pulse durations, energies and peak powers. Q-switching and mode-locked techniques have been reported for years by several authors and researchers and are frequently used in the generation of ultra-short-pulse lasers with time-domain pulse durations from the nanosecond to femtosecond range. A configuration, with gain provided by a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) is proposed and employ the dispersion management technique to generate a train of optical pulses exhibiting high-peak-power, ultralow repetition rate, and fast temporal width, enabling this laser to be used as a source for high-resolution optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) applications. The mode-locking operation has been known to occur only in standard ordered lasers for a long time and until recently it was found to also occur in disordered random fiber lasers (RFL). Although progress has been made towards locking spatial and longitudinal modes in random lasers, the literature lacks reports on Fourier transform-limited pulse generation despite the many decades of the field. The author experimentally demonstrates a mode-locked random fiber laser (MLRFL) operating as a lasing phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometer based on random feedback from a sensing fiber. Here, the full output of the laser provides the sensing signal, in contrast to the small backscattered signal measured in a conventional OTDR. The laser operates as a distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) and distributed temperature sensor (DTS).