Optical Characterization of Doped Thermoplastic and Thermosetting Polymer-Optical-Fibers.

The emission properties of a graded-index thermoplastic polymer optical fiber and a step-index thermosetting one, both doped with rhodamine 6G, have been studied. The work includes a detailed analysis of the amplified spontaneous emission together with a study of the optical gains and losses of the fibers. The photostability of the emission of both types of fibers has also been investigated.

Investigation of optical and thermal properties of N-(alkyl-substituted) maleimides for use in zero-zero-birefringence polymer.

N-(alkyl-substituted) maleimides (RMIs) were proposed as materials useful for the development of a zero-zero-birefringence polymer that exhibits no birefringence. We analyzed the optical and thermal properties of poly(RMI)s, such as the refractive index, birefringence, and glass transition temperature. The characteristics of the obtained polymers varied significantly because the shift of the density and polarizability derived from the change of the substituent structure influenced the optical properties, and the bulkiness of the substituents influenced the thermal properties.

Amplified spontaneous emission in graded-index polymer optical fibers: theory and experiment.

In this work we analyze experimentally and theoretically the properties of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in a rhodamine-6G-doped graded-index polymer optical fiber. A theoretical model based on the laser rate equations describes the ASE features successfully. The dependence of the ASE threshold and efficiency on fiber length is analyzed in detail.

Copolymer-based progressive addition lens with graded index designed for astigmatism and distortion correction.

In this research, we propose to reduce astigmatism and distortion in a progressive addition lens (PAL) by employing a polymer-based graded-index (GRIN) material. We adopted the diffusion copolymerization method for the GRIN-PAL fabrication. The GRIN material was prepared by partial diffusion of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate (3FMA) monomers into the cross-linked benzyl methacrylate polymer gel.

Pressure measurement based on a multimode phase retarder plastic optical fiber.

This paper demonstrates a polarimetric pressure measurement using a multimode phase retarder plastic optical fiber fabricated from a birefringence-controllable copolymer. An optimal composition that gives the most pronounced response to pressure was studied by comparing the extinction ratio of fibers fabricated with different copolymer compositions. A simple sensor design with a single-fiber structure was proposed that has detection capabilities similar to those of the conventional dual-path structure of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

The Christiansen effect of brightly colored colloidal dispersion with an amphiphilic polymer.

A novel coloration phenomenon in a colloidal dispersion with an amphiphilic polymer was found. The dispersion consists of tetrahydrofuran (THF), an aqueous solution of sodium thiosulfate (Na(2)S(2)O(3).5H(2)O), and hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC).

Compensation of the birefringence of a polymer by a birefringent crystal.

We report a method for compensating the birefringence of optical polymers by doping them with inorganic birefringent crystals. In this method, an inorganic birefringent material is chosen that has the opposite birefringence to that of the polymer and has rod-shaped crystals that are oriented when the polymer chains are oriented. The birefringence of the polymer is thus compensated by the opposing birefringence of the crystal.

Observation of fluorescence in an optically pumped erbium-containing perfluorinated medium at 1.5 microm.

We report what is to our knowledge the first observation of erbium fluorescence at the optical communication wavelength of 1.5 microm in a perfluorinated medium. Using a Nd:YAG (355-nm) source, we observed fluorescence of the 4I(13/2) - 4I(15/2) transition with a peak wavelength of 1.