Ultraviolet-light photosensitivity in Er^3+–Ge-doped optical fiber

Abstract

Light-induced refractive-index change in Er(3+)-Ge-doped optical fiber is reported for the first time to the authors' knowledge. Evidence of the change is observed when UV light (lambda = 249 nm) irradiates one arm of an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer made from Er(3+)-Ge-doped fiber. From a measurement of the change in the spectral response of the interferometer with UV exposure, the change in fiber core index as a function of wavelength is determined. The equilibrium change in core index is found to vary between 2.3 x 10(-5) and 3.7 x 10(-5) over the measured wavelength region of 800 to 1700 nm. Also for the first time to our knowledge, fused couplers made of Er(3+)-doped fiber are reported. These identical fiber couplers are used in a novel all-fiber unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer.