M.Ing. / Bragg gratings are important components for sensing and for wavelength-division multiplexed optical communication systems. These gratings are manufactured by either side-writing of the fiber with a high intensity UV light through a phase mask, or by exposing the fiber to interference fringes through an interferometer arrangement. With one phase mask, only a small range of grating wavelengths is possible. This is achieved by pre-straining the fiber during the writing process. The limitation arises from the break strength of the fi ber, allowing a maximum range of Bragg wavelengths of only approximately 10 nm. The interferometric technique uses a beam splitter to divide a single input UV beam into two and intersecting them at the fiber. The angle at which the beams intersect will determine the period of the interference fringes and thus the Bragg grating written in the optical fiber. The Argon-ion laser is used with a 1060 nm phase mask (used to split beam) to write Bragg gratings with reflections from 1012 to 1600 nm. Three accurate- translation and rotation stages are used to keep the fiber at the beam intersection. Alignment, mechanical stability and coherence of laser are critical.

M.Phil. / Linearly chirped fibre Bragg gratings can be used to compensate dispersions in a fibre transmission system. Various methods have been developed to chirp fibre gratings. It is proposed that a uniform period grating can be chirped by applying an axially linear strain gradient. In this project, we shall demonstate a novel method for making chirped fibre Bragg gratings, which involves bonding an unchirped fibre Bragg grating of 5cm length to the surface of a tapered stainless steel plate which is strained by bending or dilating. This allows a strain gradient to be formed along the grating length through the transferring of strains from the plate to the fibre. The profiles of tapered stainless steel plates have been determined by means of the finite element method and computer simulations to establish the strain gradient during loading. Ten conventional resistive strain gauges are also bonded on the other surface for strain measurements. Because of the strain gradient, the local Bragg wavelength is a function of the position along the length of the fibre grating so that the grating chirp is an automatic consequence of the strain gradient. This method provides the dynamic control of Bragg wavelength shift, peak reflectivity and spectral bandwidth, and its tunability is also suitable for optimising pulse compression and optical fibre dispersion compensation. Using couple-mode equations, we have also calculated the reflection response of a chirped fibre grating. It is shown that the close agreement between the theoretical and the experimental results suggests that the strain gradient technique provides good control of the Bragg grating chirp and the center wavelength of a chirped fibre Bragg grating.

M.Ing. / Long distance optical communication systems experience a large degree of attenuation due to fibre losses, necessitating signal amplification. Erbium Doped Fibre Amplifiers (EDFAs) have found widespread use as all-fibre optical amplifiers, but exhibit unequal amplification of different wavelengths. Since the gain spectrum is signal-power and pump-power dependent, each EDFA spectrum may differ considerably, and a tuneable gain equalizer is required. A tuneable long-period grating (LPG) can be implemented as a gain equalizer for EDFAs. This dissertation deals with the design of an integrated optic version of the tuneable equalizing filter. The various components of which the device comprises, including optical couplers, Mach-Zehnder interferometers and an LPG, are investigated. The integrated optics designs of these components are then done using the BeamPROP software package. The use and optical properties of germania-doped silica as photosensitive waveguide material is studied. The production of the films for the gain equalizer, using electron-cyclotron resonance plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition, is discussed. Characterization of these films was carried out using spectroscopic ellipsometry and infrared spectroscopy. The optical constants, thickness, germania content and hydroxyl absorption was calculated using these measurements.

M.Ing. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ing. (Electrical And Electronic Engineering) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ing. / Fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) have been manufactured for the first time in South Africa by means of the phase mask method. It is possible to manufacture not only uniform FBGs, but also chirped FBGs. The optical fibre that is used for imprinting the FBGs can also be hydrogen loaded locally. FBGs with a reflectivity of 99.7% and higher can be written by making use of the experimental setup presented in this thesis. It is possible to manufacture a FBG with a centre wavelength that has any value between the Bragg wavelength and approximately 6 nm lower than the Bragg wavelength. This is done by stretching the optical fibre prior to the writing process. FBGs have been simulated in MATLAB to get an idea of what one may expect during the manufacturing process. The program makes it possible to simulate the effects of changes in grating length, index modulation, pressure, temperature and strain on the centre wavelength of an FBG. Dispersion is explained in detail. Chromatic dispersion, which is part of dispersion as a whole, can be cancelled by making use of an FBG. The different techniques for the measurement of chromatic dispersion is explained. Some insight is given on dispersion (the pulse broadening in the time domain due to the different velocities of different wavelengths from the source's finite optical bandwidth) compensation. An FBG that was manufactured locally has been tested as a dispersion compensator. It was found that an FBG is effective in performing this function.

M.Ing. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Excess fluoride in groundwater used for drinking can pose serious health hazards, especially in poor, rural areas of the developing world lacking water treatment. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum fluoride contaminant level of 1.5 mg/L in drinking water [1]. Over 200 million people in low- and middle-income countries currently drink groundwater over that limit [2]. Current field detection of fluoride typically uses HACH kits, with several groups developing smartphone based alternatives [3]. These methods are based on colorimetry. The HACH kit is limiting because appropriate training is required, results are sensitive to competing ion contamination and chlorine, the glassware must be clean, and repetition is needed to ensure reliability [4]. The use of a smartphone for in-field detection of fluoride is promising and takes a strong step towards quick, easy, reliable, and portable fluoride detection. Our research takes the concept of a portable device one step further by using a fundamentally different, and simpler, mode of detection. We have demonstrated the use of optical fibers as an alternative, non-colourimetric fluoride detection method. The tip of a single mode optical fiber is coated with a thin film of Al and is immersed in an aqueous fluoride solution. The reaction between fluoride and the Al coating changes internal reflection proportional to fluoride concentration which is measured by a photodetector as an output voltage. We made great steps in optimizing the methods, materials, and code required for this sensor. Additionally, we built a device to allow approximate standardization of Al thickness as a function of the distance from the target and time of sputtering. We established the best practical thickness of Al coating, improved repeatability between sputter deposition events, and implemented an optical switch into the experimental set-up. / Graduate / 2021-07-28

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<p> Optical fibers are becoming so good that their optical and mechanical properties are fast approaching fundamental limits. It has also become evident that there is a requirement for establishing accurate and precise measurement techniques of these properties. The optical loss is the most important parameter characterizing fiber. This project reviews the subject of loss (or attenuation), its measurement and some of its subtleties. </p> <p> Presently at BNR there are two attenuation measurements made: (1) one is the LED steady-state attenuation at λ≅840 nm, which makes use of a "pigtail" launching fiber and (2) the second is the spectral attenuation from 600-1400 nm. Both measurement techniques were developed by the author and Dr. K. Abe during the summer work term and made considerable improvements in both accuracy and speed over previously established methods. Some of the subtleties of attenuation which were also studied during this period were the effects of different launch conditions, and environmental effects such as those caused by temperature and ice. The extensive temperature tests done on the fiber led to the change from "hytrel" and nylon as coating materials to the use of silicone (which is still in use at BNR).</p> <p> Throughout the paper, results of the measurements have been given for several types of fibers because some of them have very unique characteristics and applications. </p> <p> All of the data displayed for this project was gathered by the author unless otherwise noted.</p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)