High-performance single-polarization optical fibers

Abstract

This paper reviews recent progress and presents new designs and experimental results on single polarization (SP) fibers. The design concept for achieving SP propagation and approaches using either stress induced birefringence or hole-assisted geometrical birefringence for realizing single polarization fibers are described. Designs of hole-assisted SP fibers with either dual holes or a central hole are discussed in details. Effects of fiber parameters on SP fiber performance such as bandwidth, cutoff wavelength, mode field area are analyzed. Results on fabrication and characterization of dual-hole-assisted SP fibers are presented. SP operating windows centered at wavelength from 900 to 1600 mm with bandwidths from 18 to 55 nm are realized. Applications of SP fibers for single mode fiber lasers to produce linear polarized laser output are demonstrated with extinction ratio of 17-20 dB.