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A simple experimental method for measuring the thermal sensitivity of single-mode fibers

Bondza, Saskia ; Bengtsson, Alexander LU ; Horvath, Sebastian P. LU ; Walther, Andreas LU ; Kröll, Stefan LU and Rippe, Lars LU (2020) In Review of Scientific Instruments 91(10).
Abstract

We present a simple technique to experimentally determine the optical-path length change with temperature for optical single-mode fibers. Standard single-mode fibers act as natural low-finesse cavities, with the Fresnel reflection of the straight cleaved surfaces being ∼3%, for the laser light coupled to them. By measuring the intensity variations due to interference of light reflected from the fiber front and end surfaces, while ramping the ambient temperature, the thermal sensitivity of the optical-path length of the fiber can be derived. Light was generated by a narrow linewidth, low drift laser. With our fairly short test fibers, we found that it was possible to reach a relative precision of the temperature sensitivity, compared to... (More)

We present a simple technique to experimentally determine the optical-path length change with temperature for optical single-mode fibers. Standard single-mode fibers act as natural low-finesse cavities, with the Fresnel reflection of the straight cleaved surfaces being ∼3%, for the laser light coupled to them. By measuring the intensity variations due to interference of light reflected from the fiber front and end surfaces, while ramping the ambient temperature, the thermal sensitivity of the optical-path length of the fiber can be derived. Light was generated by a narrow linewidth, low drift laser. With our fairly short test fibers, we found that it was possible to reach a relative precision of the temperature sensitivity, compared to a reference fiber, on the 0.4%-2% scale and an absolute precision of 2%-5%, with the potential to improve both by an order of magnitude. The results for single-acrylate, dual-acrylate, and copper- and aluminum-coated fibers are presented. Values are compared with analytic models and results from a finite element method simulation. With the aid of these measurements, a simple fiber-interferometer, which is insensitive to thermal drifts, could be constructed.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Review of Scientific Instruments
volume
91
issue
10
article number
105114
publisher
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
external identifiers
  • pmid:33138548
  • scopus:85094843507
ISSN
0034-6748
DOI
10.1063/5.0020913
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3a5c20ef-db0b-430b-ae3a-2a5696d5b0d4
date added to LUP
2020-11-17 09:32:34
date last changed
2024-04-03 18:08:05
@article{3a5c20ef-db0b-430b-ae3a-2a5696d5b0d4,
  abstract     = {{<p>We present a simple technique to experimentally determine the optical-path length change with temperature for optical single-mode fibers. Standard single-mode fibers act as natural low-finesse cavities, with the Fresnel reflection of the straight cleaved surfaces being ∼3%, for the laser light coupled to them. By measuring the intensity variations due to interference of light reflected from the fiber front and end surfaces, while ramping the ambient temperature, the thermal sensitivity of the optical-path length of the fiber can be derived. Light was generated by a narrow linewidth, low drift laser. With our fairly short test fibers, we found that it was possible to reach a relative precision of the temperature sensitivity, compared to a reference fiber, on the 0.4%-2% scale and an absolute precision of 2%-5%, with the potential to improve both by an order of magnitude. The results for single-acrylate, dual-acrylate, and copper- and aluminum-coated fibers are presented. Values are compared with analytic models and results from a finite element method simulation. With the aid of these measurements, a simple fiber-interferometer, which is insensitive to thermal drifts, could be constructed.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bondza, Saskia and Bengtsson, Alexander and Horvath, Sebastian P. and Walther, Andreas and Kröll, Stefan and Rippe, Lars}},
  issn         = {{0034-6748}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{American Institute of Physics (AIP)}},
  series       = {{Review of Scientific Instruments}},
  title        = {{A simple experimental method for measuring the thermal sensitivity of single-mode fibers}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0020913}},
  doi          = {{10.1063/5.0020913}},
  volume       = {{91}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}