Improvement in the measurement of index modulation along an optical fiber grating by movement of the probe spot perpendicularly to the fiber axis.

We demonstrate a large improvement in the efficiency of the method proposed by Krug et al. [Opt. Lett.

Refractive-Index Changes of Standard Telecommunication Fiber through Exposure to Femtosecond Laser Pulses at 810 cm.

We report on permanent refractive-index changes as great as 6 x 10(-3) in standard fibers on irradiation with tightly focused femtosecond (120-fs) near-IR (lambda = 800-nm) pulses. The refractive-index increase was measured through changes in the transmission spectrum of an UV photowritten Bragg-grating-based Fabry-Perot interferometer. We depict the dependence of the index variation on exposure time.

Temperature-induced reversible changes in the spectral characteristics of fiber Bragg gratings.

It is reported that reversible changes in the reflectivity of Bragg gratings can be induced by a change in the temperature of the grating (77 K < T < K). The changes have proved to be greater in highly doped Ge fibers than in standard fibers, whereas they could hardly be detected in hydrogenated fibers. The sign of the change for type I gratings was opposite that for type IIA gratings.

Comparison of isochronal and isothermal decays of bragg gratings written through continuous-wave exposure of an unloaded germanosilicate fiber.

We compare the results of thermally induced isochronal and isothermal decays of fiber Bragg gratings written through cw exposure of an unloaded germanosilicate fiber. We show that isochronal step decays can be used to predict isothermal decays, provided that some corrections are carried out to take into account a reversible change in grating reflectivity induced by the increase of the fiber temperature. The isochronal accelerated-aging method enables one to sample most of the initial distribution of trapped site energies in a fairly short time.

Photoinscription of Bragg gratings within a germanosilicate fiber subjected to a high static electric field.

The kinetics of Bragg grating growth in germanosilicate fibers subjected to a high static electric field are compared with those obtained without any electric field. The gratings were written by exposure of the fiber core to laser light at 244 or 193 nm. These experiments gave some clues about the mechanisms responsible for both the photosensitivity in germanosilicate fibers and the nonlinear second-order UV-induced susceptibility in silica glasses.