Document Type

Article

Rights

This item is available under a Creative Commons License for non-commercial use only

Disciplines

Electrical and electronic engineering

Publication Details

Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Volume 53, Issue 3, pages 539–543, 2011. DOI: 10.1002/mop.25789

Abstract

The application of a nematic liquid crystal infiltrated solid core Photonic Crystal Fiber as a novel all-fiber in-line electronically controlled broadband fiber optic attenuator in the wavelength range from 1500 nm – 1600 nm is demonstrated. The device based on photonic bandgap transmission, is electronically controlled and due to its compact configuration, can be easily incorporated into an optical network. A low insertion loss at zero attenuation state and a high extinction ratio of ~ 40 dB is obtained between the high and low transmission states of the attenuator. The device works on the application of a varying voltage applied perpendicular to the fiber axis. The attenuation varies linearly with an increase in voltage, with a ~ 3.5 V increment required for 1 dB attenuation. The device is shown to have a flat spectral response for all attenuation states in the wavelength range. The device can be used as the core of a highly efficient in-line electronically controlled variable fibre optic attenuator.